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Palestinian Hamas-Fatah unity deal announced Hamas and Fatah unveil Palestinian reconciliation deal
(35 minutes later)
Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have announced a reconciliation deal after a meeting in the Gaza Strip. Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have announced a reconciliation deal, saying they will seek to form a unity government in the coming weeks.
They have agreed to begin negotiations to form a unity government within the coming weeks. It comes as the peace talks between President Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel near collapse.
It comes as peace talks between the Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel face collapse. Hamas and Fatah split violently in 2007. Previous reconciliation agreements have never been implemented.
This is not the first time Fatah and Hamas have tried to reconcile since their violent split in 2007, but such agreements were never implemented. Israel's prime minister said Mr Abbas would have to choose between peace with Israel and peace with Hamas.
Geographical split "You can have one but not the other. I hope he chooses peace; so far he hasn't done so," warned Benjamin Netanyahu.
The latest deal was announced at a news conference between Fatah and Hamas, an Islamist group banned as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the EU. Mr Abbas sent a delegation to Gaza for talks earlier this week.
They said they planned to form an interim unity government within five weeks and hold general elections within six months of a vote of confidence by the Palestinian parliament. 'Good news'
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said President Abbas and had chosen to seek peace with Hamas rather than Israel. The latest deal was announced on Wednesday at a news conference by representatives of Fatah and Hamas, an Islamist group designated a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the EU.
The split between the two factions came about after Hamas won legislative elections in 2006, prompting an international outcry that saw the imposition of sanctions and the freezing of aid. The factions said they planned to form an interim unity government within five weeks and hold parliamentary elections within six months.
Prolonged fighting in the Gaza Strip in 2007 left dozens dead. In June 2007, Hamas ousted forces loyal to Mr Abbas and he dissolved the government. "This is the good news we tell our people," Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, told reporters. "The era of division is over."
Fatah has stayed in control of the Palestinian Authority, which rules in the West Bank, and Hamas has remained the power in Gaza. The two factions have been at odds since Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in 2006, ousted forces loyal to Mr Abbas and Fatah in Gaza during clashes in 2007 and set up a rival government.
Shortly after the reconciliation deal was announced, five people were injured in an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza, Palestinian medics said. Witnesses said the target appeared to be two men riding a motorcycle.
It comes two days after militants launched rockets from the coastal territory into southern Israel.
Are you in the region? You can email us your views at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Hamas-Fatah'.