Negotiations in Beijing; Hamas and Fatah Agree to End Their Disputes

Palestinian groups including Hamas and Fatah agreed on Tuesday, July 23, during negotiations in Beijing, the capital of China, to form a "temporary national reconciliation government" in Gaza following the end of the war in the region. These negotiations, mediated by China, aim to create a potential roadmap for Gaza after the war following a ceasefire. Chinese state media report that during these negotiations, which are mediated by Beijing, the Fatah organization and Hamas, which have had differing positions regarding Israel for several decades, along with 12 smaller Palestinian groups, signed a declaration to end years of disputes and form a "temporary national reconciliation government." Hamas, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, described the Beijing statement as "a positive step towards achieving Palestinian national unity" and thanked the host country, China. On the other hand, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz reacted to this agreement on the social media platform "X," writing: "Mahmoud Abbas embraces the killers and aggressors of Hamas instead of rejecting terrorism and reveals his true face." He added: "This will not happen because Hamas' rule will be shattered, and Abbas will watch Gaza from afar. Israel's security will remain solely in Israel's hands." The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel. In this attack, Hamas militants killed over 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians, and took more than 250 hostages. Subsequently, Israel launched an attack on Gaza with the aim of destroying Hamas. Meanwhile, during an Israeli attack on militants in the West Bank, including the city of Tulkarm on Tuesday, July 23, seven Palestinians, including two militant commanders and one woman, were killed. At the same time, Hamas and Fatah signed a declaration to end years of disputes and unite to form a "national unity government" in the Chinese capital. According to Reuters, Palestinian sources reported that the two militant commanders were from Hamas and Fatah. In this context, an Israeli army spokesperson stated that in an airstrike, militants active in the area were targeted, and gunfire exchanges continue. On the other hand, the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, announced that two more Palestinians were killed in a separate attack near the city of Hebron. In a separate development, with rising tensions between Israelis and the Hezbollah group supported by the Islamic Republic, security sources and Lebanese media reported that Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over Beirut and other areas of Lebanon on Tuesday. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has been ongoing alongside the Gaza war for months, and although it has mostly been limited to areas near the border, it has raised concerns about the possibility of a wider war. At the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Tuesday that he told the families of hostages in Gaza that an agreement guaranteeing their release is close. Mr. Netanyahu is currently in Washington and is expected to meet with President Joe Biden after a speech in Congress later this week. He spoke with the families of the hostages in the U.S. capital on Monday. Mr. Netanyahu said: "This will not happen all at once and will have stages, but I believe we can move the agreement forward." On the other hand, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, told Reuters that there has been no new change in Netanyahu's position and that he is only sending delegations to quell the anger of the families of Israeli hostages. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization emphasized the need for a ceasefire, warning of the risk of a wider outbreak of polio in Gaza. Iyadil Saparbekov, head of the emergency health team for this UN agency in Gaza and the West Bank, stated that type 2 poliovirus has been detected in sewage samples in Gaza. The Israeli army announced that it has begun providing vaccines for this disease to soldiers serving there. The Israeli army also stated that, in cooperation with international groups, sufficient vaccines have been imported to cover over one million people in Gaza, which has a total population of about 2.3 million. Netanyahu's presence in Washington; Joe Biden sent a message, Kamala Harris expressed readiness to meet. Israel's request for the evacuation of parts of southern Gaza; the army says Hamas has taken refuge in the "humanitarian" area. The death of two more hostages in Hamas captivity; fighting continues in Gaza. Netanyahu on the brink of a trip to Washington: Israel's enemies should know that America and Israel stand together today, tomorrow, and always. Netanyahu's office: The Israeli negotiating team will head to the resumption of negotiations on Thursday. Israeli fighters attacked "two military warehouses" of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.