Fatah and Hamas delegations are scheduled to meet in Cairo next Monday as efforts continue to end the political division in Palestine. The meeting is intended to restart intra-Palestinian dialogue and address the issues facing the Palestinian cause.
The meeting, expected to take place under Egyptian mediation, follows months of contacts aimed at reviving dialogue between the two groups. Cairo has played a central mediating role for years, particularly in intra-Palestinian dialogue between Fatah and Hamas.
Political arrangements ahead of legislative elections
Palestinian factions are seeking to reorganize the political structure ahead of the upcoming legislative elections. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set November 28 as the date for elections planned for East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, following his announcement on July 9.
The elections are expected to be the first legislative vote held since 2006. On August 15, the Central Elections Commission began the process of registering voters and updating voter information. Hamas announced that it plans to participate in the elections as part of a broad-based national coalition.
The meeting will be important in determining whether the pressures created by the war in Gaza can lead to a new intra-Palestinian process. Whether the meeting can reshape relations between the main political groups ahead of the elections is also expected to be on the agenda.
History of contacts in Cairo
Days before the planned meeting, Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Khalil al-Hayya traveled to Cairo with a delegation he led to discuss developments related to the Palestinian cause. The delegation held talks with Egyptian officials as well as representatives of Palestinian factions.
After Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, Hamas invited Fatah to two meetings to discuss a political and national solution. The invitations did not result in a meeting. Although the leaderships of the two groups continued their contacts, they were unable to hold an open-ended dialogue session.
Palestinian National Council Chairman Rawhi Fattouh contacted Hamas after the date of the legislative elections was announced. The factions considered meeting in July, but the meeting was later postponed indefinitely.
Reconciliation efforts failed to produce results
Fatah and Hamas have been politically divided since 2007. The political division has continued despite numerous dialogue and reconciliation efforts mediated by Arab countries and international parties.
In July 2022, Mahmoud Abbas met in Algeria with the late Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, under the mediation of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. In October 2022, Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, signed the Algiers Reconciliation Agreement, which called for legislative and presidential elections to be held within one year. The elections were not held.
In July 2024, Palestinian factions also signed the Beijing Declaration, which aimed to end the political division and strengthen national unity. The declaration likewise failed to end the division.
