Fatah's Central Committee slammed Hamas' policy, calling on the terror organization ruling Gaza to recant its decision not to end the rift with Fatah.
In the Ramallah meeting, Fatah leader and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas created a new committee to work on Hamas-Fatah relations and reach an agreement between the two sides.
The Central Committee said it would not allow anyone to "snatch" Gaza, and expressed its support for Gaza residents and its obligation to lessen their suffering.
Recently, the tension between the PA and Hamas has increased. Though the sides have attempted to make several peace agreements throughout the years, none of them have come to fruition. Both sides suspect the other, and Hamas has continually attempted to take over PLO organizations and the PA leadership.
Hamas blames the PA for the economic crisis and the continued "siege" on Gaza, as well as for the low wages paid to Arabs in the public sector. The PA blames Hamas for taking over control of Gaza, and supporting leadership which does not recognize the PA as a partner.
Hamas and Fatah have been at odds since 2007 when Hamas took over Gaza from Fatah in a bloody coup.
A unity government between Hamas and Fatah collapsed last June when Fatah leader and PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas decided to dissolve it amid a deepening rift between the sides.
The PA’s interest is to hold elections in area of Gaza that are controlled by Hamas in practice, in order to demonstrate its control over all the Palestinian territories as part of its demand for recognition of a Palestinian state.