Talks between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas on the administration of post-war Gaza are a positive sign of cooperation, says Mohamad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. “It is important that there is some kind of Palestinian unity for the long term of Palestinian politics,” Elmasry told Al Jazeera. “In the short term, this could incentivise the US to put pressure on Israel to end the war.” On Tuesday, Hamas and Fatah agreed in Cairo to set up a committee to jointly administer the Strip once the fighting is over. Under the plan, which needs Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s approval, the committee will have 10 to 15 non-partisan figures with authority on matters related to the economy, education, healthcare, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, according to a draft of the proposal seen by AFP. Elmasry noted that Israel has not yet commented on the agreement and it would not “allow Hamas to run Gaza, nor Fatah”. “Israel has given itself effective veto power over Palestinian politics,” he said.
