In pictures: Hamas and Fatah delegations meet at Fatah leader’s house

CAIRO – 2 October 2017: As part of the Palestinian reconciliation efforts, Ahmed Hillis, member of Fatah’s Central Committee, hosted Palestinian consensus government Prime Minister Ramy al-Hamdallah and Hamas representatives, Ismail Hanya and Yehya al-Senwar, for lunch at his house in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood.

Among the attendees was Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh, Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj, and a large number of Palestinian Authority leaders, as well as Egyptian security delegation members.



Fatah and Hamas members attend lunch at member of Fatah’s Central Committee, Ahmed Hillis, House - File Photo



Hamas and Fatah delegation together at Ahmed Hillies's House in Gaza - File Photo



Fatah together with Hamas members attend lunch at member of Fatah’s Central Committee, Ahmed Hillis, House - File Photo



Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj and the Head of Hamas Movement in Gaza, Yehya al-Senwar - File Photo


On September 17, the Hamas movement announced the dissolution of its administrative committee in the Gaza Strip and invited the consensus government’s Prime Minster, Ramy al-Hamdallah, to visit Gaza and assume his duties in the Strip. Hamas also called for holding general elections in Palestine. Furthermore, the movement confirmed complying with the Cairo reconciliation accords of 2011.

On October 1, an Egyptian delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip to oversee the reconciliation efforts between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority led by Fatah. The Egyptian delegation consisted of Egypt's Ambassador to Israel Hazem Khairat, and Generals Hamam Abu-Zeid and Sameh Kamel. It is the first official delegation to travel to Gaza since 2012.

Hamas’ spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum welcomed the Egyptian delegation in a statement, and expressed appreciation for Egyptian efforts in encouraging the reconciliation and ending the Palestinian split. Furthermore, Hamas freed five prisoners belonging to Fatah party, who were jailed for two years.

On October 2, the Palestinian consensus government, led by Hamdallah, arrived in Gaza from Ramallah, where Hamas handed over power to the Palestinian consensus government formed in June 2014.


On October 3, the consensus government is expected to hold its first cabinet meeting from Gaza. The consensus government is expected to form a number of ministerial committees to address the effects and consequences of the internal division, as well as other civil, administrative and legal issues arising from the split.

Despite a number of attempts to reconcile the Palestinian split led by international and Arab efforts, only Egypt, with its historical and political position, was able to bring an end to this nightmare. Egypt managed to bring the conflicting Palestinian factions to overcome the obstacles and to invest the opportunities to create new conditions away from the fear of exclusion. Egypt helped the factions realize that they need to move forward towards a partnership based on the fact that Palestine is for all Palestinians.