Senior officials from Fatah and Hamas, the rival Palestinian factions, convened in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the formation of a committee to govern Gaza in the wake of the war, according to a report by Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV. The talks are part of Egypt’s broader mediation efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and to expand humanitarian access into the enclave.
This Cairo meeting follows initial talks last month, when leaders from Hamas and Fatah, the faction led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, discussed forming a governance committee based on an Egyptian proposal, though those discussions were postponed for further deliberation, sources close to the negotiations told Reuters. Under the proposal, the committee would be composed of independent Palestinian figures unaffiliated with any political faction, potentially addressing the contested question of who will administer Gaza when hostilities end.
Israel, however, opposes any role for Hamas in Gaza’s future administration and has expressed doubts about the ability of the Palestinian Authority under Abbas to govern the region.
Despite mediation efforts from Egypt, Qatar, and backing from the United States, negotiations have yet to yield a truce to halt the fighting, secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas, or address the thousands of Palestinians detained by Israel.
While Hamas has indicated its openness to a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the military campaign will persist until Hamas is dismantled. Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq, meanwhile, dismissed suggestions for limited or temporary truces as “smokescreens,” though he stated that Hamas is “open to any proposals or ideas that ensure the cessation of aggression and the withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza.”
The war, which began on October 7 after Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, has left a devastating toll on Gaza. Palestinian health officials reported at least 60 Palestinian casualties from Israeli airstrikes since Friday, with five fatalities occurring in an attack on the Bureij refugee camp. Medics and local authorities report that the Israeli offensives, which followed the October 7 assault, have claimed over 43,000 Palestinian lives and left much of Gaza in ruins.
