Palestinian Factions Sign Declaration to End Divisions after Talks in China

FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit the Forbidden City in central Beijing, China. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit the Forbidden City in central Beijing, China. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo/File Photo
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Palestinian Factions Sign Declaration to End Divisions after Talks in China

FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit the Forbidden City in central Beijing, China. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit the Forbidden City in central Beijing, China. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo/File Photo

Various Palestinian factions have agreed to end their divisions and strengthen Palestinian unity by signing the Beijing Declaration on Tuesday morning in China, according to Chinese state media.
The declaration was signed at the closing ceremony of a reconciliation dialogue among the factions held in Beijing from July 21-23, state broadcaster CCTV said.
A total of 14 Palestinian factions including the leaders of rival groups Fatah and Hamas also met with the media, with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi present, CGTN said in a social media post, according to Reuters.
Rival factions Hamas and Fatah met in China in April to discuss reconciliation efforts to end around 17 years of disputes.



Israel Surprises Khan Yunis… Netanyahu to Address US Congress

22 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Yunis: Palestinians flee the eastern part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
22 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Yunis: Palestinians flee the eastern part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
TT

Israel Surprises Khan Yunis… Netanyahu to Address US Congress

22 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Yunis: Palestinians flee the eastern part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
22 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Yunis: Palestinians flee the eastern part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

The Israeli army on Monday surprised the residents of Khan Younis with a new ground military operation, more than three months after withdrawing from the southern Gaza city.

The Israeli army in a statement claimed the attack in eastern Khan Younis resulted from intelligence information indicating Hamas was attempting to regroup.

Eyewitnesses and journalists in Gaza told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Israeli army issued on Monday new evacuation orders to residents in Khan Younis.

Thousands of Palestinians were seen fleeing southern areas of the territory before the Israeli army launched a large-scale attack and quickly sent tanks back into the greater Khan Younis area.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington upon an invitation from the US Congress to address a joint session on Tuesday.

Netanyahu has tried to mitigate the impact of his visit amidst a US political crisis following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race.

“Israel remains America's indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East,” he told reporters before taking off.

On Thursday, an Israeli delegation will travel to Doha to discuss new demands for a Gaza truce and hostage-prisoner exchange.

But on Monday, several leading rabbis of the right-wing religious Zionist community came out against a hostage deal with Hamas.