Hamas and Fatah are announcing they have agreed that a unity government will rule over Gaza as talks in Cairo have resumed during the post Operation Protective Edge era. Officials are reporting that a technocratic government that was formed in the beginning of the summer will immediately take up position and rule in Gaza as a result of agreements reached between the parties involved.

The daily Maariv adds that Abu Mazen was directly involved in the talks and the PA (Palestinian Authority) media is reporting that officials from Hamas and Fatah “have reached agreement on all matters”.

During the past months Abu Mazen has accused Hamas of running a parallel government to the new unity one selected in the summer based on the agreement signed in April. It is now being reported that as a result of the new agreement, 45,000 Hamas government employees will be receiving salaries this coming month. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has blamed the PA in Ramallah for preventing the payment of salaries in Gaza.

An international assembly addressing the rehabilitation of Gaza is scheduled to convene next week and PA officials expect that forum to accept the new unity government along with its promise to maintain oversight of all construction materials entering Gaza to make certain they are not diverted to terrorists.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)