Hamas, Fatah officials meet in Gaza

Representatives of rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas met in Gaza on Sunday in a bid to push the implementation of a stalled reconciliation deal, an official said. The meeting was the first between members of the two sides in Gaza since a summit between Palestinian president and Fatah head Mahmud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal last month. The two leaders had met in Cairo to agree the implementation of the landmark May deal, which calls for an interim government of independents to pave the way for legislative and presidential elections within a year. Gaza-based Fatah leader Diab al-Luh said members of the two movements who met on Sunday "agreed on their full commitment to the Palestinian national reconciliation that was signed on the 3rd and 4th of last May." "The two movements agreed to cooperate and communicate with each other to development methods to implement the agreement," he added. Among the subjects discussed at the meeting, he said, were the formation of the temporary government and the release of political prisoners held by both sides, which both parties have pledged will take place soon.