Al Mayadeen Obtains Fatah-Hamas MoU on Civil Affairs in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

Talks in Cairo led to an agreement detailing the work of a Palestinian committee that will govern civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip.

Al Mayadeen has obtained the final document of an agreement signed between the leading Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, during talks in Cairo, Egypt. 

The document outlined the work of a committee responsible for the governance of civil affairs in the Gaza Strip. According to the agreement, the "Community Support Committee in the Gaza Strip" will be in charge of civil affairs in the besieged territory, under the supervision of the Palestinian government. 

The committee's structure, jurisdiction

As per the document, the committee will be subordinate to the Palestinian political leadership in the West Bank, al-Quds, and the Gaza Strip, meaning that the Gaza Strip will not be cut off from other Palestinian territories in the future. 

The parties also agreed that the committee will be comprised of 10 to 15 members, including independent and specialized Palestinian individuals. 

Moreover, the committee will be responsible for governing all civil affairs in the Gaza Strip, while advancing the interests of Palestinian citizens in all fields. 

In detail, the committee's authority will rest with the Palestinian government and the supervisory bodies affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, and it will be granted the necessary powers to carry out its mission.

According to the document obtained by Al Mayadeen, the committee will take up its responsibilities following a meeting that includes all Palestinian political factions, in Cairo, where a final agreement will be signed to appoint its members. 

The committee will also implement the mechanisms previously employed to manage the Gaza Strip's crossings into Israeli-occupied territories, which were in effect prior to October 2023.

Positive talks result in substantial breakthroughs

Earlier, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen that talks in Cairo have resulted in positive progress. According to the official, the committee to govern the Gaza Strip after the Israeli war will be composed of experts in government and administrative affairs, with members drawn from within Gaza. The official also confirmed that the Palestinian government in Ramallah will oversee the committee’s operations.

Both Hamas and Fatah have agreed that the committee will remain professional and independent, excluding members from either faction, the senior official maintained, highlighting that several Arab countries have offered support to help establish the governing body for Gaza.

Recent talks between Palestinian factions have made significant strides toward unity, paving the way for agreements that could establish a unified governance of Palestinian territories. Multiple countries, including China and Egypt, have been involved in mediating such talks. 

In July, Palestinian factions met in Beijing to discuss efforts to end national division and launch a process for reconciliation between major political parties. 

The meetings saw the participation of 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Al Mayadeen obtained a copy of the Beijing Declaration in which the participants promised to "end the Palestinian national division," and to "unify national efforts to confront the [Israeli] aggression and stop the genocide."