A team of Egyptian officials is in the Gaza Strip to renew efforts to push for reconciliation between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions.
Hamas seized control of Gaza from Fatah in a military coup in 2007. The two rivals have attempted to reconcile several times since then, to no avail. The most recent agreement, brokered by Cairo, was signed on Oct. 12, but its implementation has proved as challenging as ever.
Two Egyptian intelligence officials and a diplomat arrived in Gaza on Sunday, along with several government ministers from the Fatah-led Palestinian cabinet in the West Bank.
In November, the Hamas terrorist group handed over control of Gaza's border crossings to the Palestinian Authority. It was the first tangible concession in years of Egyptian-brokered reconciliation talks. But negotiations have bogged down since then.
A delegation of Hamas leaders has been in Egypt since Feb. 9 in what is believed to be a stepped-up Egyptian pressure campaign on the group.
Fatah officials have warned that the reconciliation deal is on the verge of collapse, citing Hamas' adamant refusal to disarm as the primary cause.
