Reports say Hamas and Fatah, which leads the Palestinian Authority (PA), are both taking part in talks to form a ‘transitional administrative body’ to oversee postwar governance of the Gaza Strip.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 2nd (local time), citing sources, that eight Palestinian factions and armed groups, including Hamas and Fatah, were holding a closed-door meeting in Cairo, Egypt, to discuss how to set up the transitional administrative body.

Experts predict that if Hamas and Fatah reach an agreement, it would amount to a ‘historic breakthrough’ in the fractured Palestinian political system. Founded in 1987 while espousing armed resistance, Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip since fighting a civil war with Fatah in 2007. Fatah leads the PA in the West Bank. WP assessed that, after decades of rivalry and conflict, an agreement between Hamas and Fatah could lay the groundwork for a future Palestinian state integrating Gaza and the West Bank.

However, it remains unclear whether U.S. President Donald Trump will approve a transitional administrative body that includes Hamas, Fatah, and others.

According to the Gaza peace plan of President Donald Trump, postwar governance of the Gaza Strip would be handled by a provisional transitional committee composed of politically non-aligned Palestinian technocrats. This body would be overseen by a peace council chaired by President Trump.

Palestinian and Arab officials say the transitional administrative body could cooperate with, or potentially replace, the peace council of President Trump. Security within the Gaza Strip would be handled by Palestinian police. Discussions are under way on forming an international stabilization force responsible for security.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Barda Abdelati said, “The core goal is to enable Palestinians to administer Gaza as an integrated part of the West Bank,” adding, “This is a step toward realizing a Palestinian state.” He added that the authorities and relationship of the peace council of President Trump and the Gaza Strip’s transitional administrative body should be decided by the United Nations Security Council.

WP pointed out that the participation of Hamas in the meeting of Palestinian factions on a postwar governance model for the Gaza Strip indicates that, despite a war that has continued for two years, Hamas remains an influential presence in Gaza. Arab mediator states and Palestinian political forces hold the position that Hamas must be included in the process of reaching agreement on the postwar governing system.

Dimitri Diliani, spokesperson for the Reform and Democratic Faction within Fatah, said, “Forcing ideological movements like Hamas fully underground can lead them to resurface in a more extreme form.”