Fatah and Hamas Open Cairo Talks to Pave Way for Dialogue

Cairo (GNP): Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, begin preparatory talks in Cairo on Wednesday to lay the ground for a wider national dialogue aimed at building political consensus.

Fatah spokesperson Abdel Fattah Dawla said representatives of Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) will also attend. The meetings are expected to last up to two days.

Dawla added that broader discussions could resume on October 20, depending on the outcome of these preliminary talks. The sessions will focus on preparations for the wider dialogue and on efforts to secure agreement among the factions.

Fatah’s delegation will include Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub and committee member Mohammad Shtayyeh. Both are expected to arrive in Cairo on Wednesday, while other factions had not immediately commented.

The new round follows earlier contacts in the Egyptian capital. On Saturday, Rajoub said Fatah had held two days of talks in Cairo with Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the PFLP as part of Egyptian efforts to promote Palestinian national consensus.

The talks also come against a changed electoral timetable. On the same day, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree setting September 11, 2027, as the date for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections.

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The decree replaces a legislative election that had been planned for November 2026. Fatah welcomed the decision.

Hamas responded by calling for a comprehensive national dialogue to reach binding agreements on reorganising Palestinian political institutions. That position sets the agenda for the discussions now under way in Cairo.

Dawla said, “Broader talks could resume on October 20, depending on the outcome of the preliminary meetings.”