Citing the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper, Maariv reports that talks between Palestinian Authority factions over a lull between Hamas and Israel in Gaza and internal Palestinian Authority reconciliation resumed today in Cairo.
Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel tried to persuade the Fatah delegation to agree to Cairo's proposals to finalize the reconciliation. According to the initiative, the PA will remove the sanctions imposed on Hamas officials in Gaza and bring civil servants into the government, in exchange for handing over the control of the national consensus government for Gaza Strip as a first stage. If the parties sign the reconciliation agreement, they will immediately move to the stage of signing the draft truce with Israel, which will last at least five years - which is already ready. A number of things have to be worked out, including opposition by smaller PA factions.