PA president Mahmud Abbas leads meeting of Executive Committee of PLO, Feb, 2017
PA president Mahmud Abbas leads meeting of Executive Committee of PLO, Feb, 2017צילום: Flash 90

Representatives of Hamas and Fatah are scheduled to meet in Cairo in the final week of October to discuss the fresh attempt at reconciling the two terror groups.

In an interview with the Hamas website Al-Risala (October 6), Ahmad Majdalawi, a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, said that the meeting would discuss the implementation of the understandings reached recently between Fatah and Hamas, including the transfer of powers to the National Accord Government in the Gaza Strip.

Hassan Kharisha, a member of the Palestinian parliament, warned that the lack of practical progress in the implementation of the reconciliation agreement could result in it being thwarted by other parties.

As part of the reconciliation agreement, Hamas agreed to dissolve the executive committee it established in the Gaza Strip which functioned as an independent local government. Last week, the Palestinian government ministers from Ramallah arrived in the Gaza Strip to prepare for ruling the Hamas-held strip.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza for the first time since 2015 on Monday, aiming to crown a rapprochement between the rivals after a decade of animosity and outbreaks of violence.

Hamdallah’s visit was made possible after Hamas announced it was willing to hold talks with Fatah and dismantle the Gaza administrative committee, which served as a local independent governing authority.

Haniyeh later reiterated the group’s readiness for reconciliation with Fatah.

The initiative is backed by Egypt, who will be closely following the talks, intending to prepare for a transfer of power in Gaza from Hamas to Abbas's PA.