Palestinian unity: Historic deal brokered in Beijing summit

14 Palestinian groups have reached an agreement to end divisions and strengthen unity. The document was signed in Beijing. China organized the summit, which aimed to resolve disputes among Palestinian organisations.

The talks involved 14 groups, including the Fatah movement, which governs the West Bank, and the terrorist group Hamas from the Gaza Strip.

Representatives of the Palestinian groups also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to CCTV's social media reports.

Both main groups, Fatah and Hamas, had previously met in April in China. The Chinese government, as Reuters noted, organized the talks to reach an agreement that would end the 17-year-old conflict among Palestinians. Ultimately, the discussions continued for several days.

The two main Palestinian factions have conflicted since Hamas won the parliamentary elections in 2006 and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 following a brief civil war in which they defeated the Western-backed Palestinian forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas, Sky News recalls.

Efforts made since 2007 by Arab countries, led by Egypt, have thus far not succeeded in ending the disagreements over the division of power between Hamas, which governs Gaza, and the Fatah movement of President Abbas.

Abbas himself has openly criticised Hamas for its conflict with Israel, while the terrorist organisation from Gaza has accused the Palestinian president of siding with Israel.