Fatah and Hamas officials agreed on Friday to take steps to end violence between the two movements. Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said an Egyptian security delegation had brokered the talks, Reuters reported.
"These efforts have been crowned by an agreement between Hamas and Fatah to stop tensions between the two sides and to bring the security situation under control," Barhoum said. It was the first high profile meeting in weeks between the two sides.
Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa conveyed the parties agreed to endorse dialogue as the only way to resolve differences. "The agreement aimed at resolving internal violence and I hope it will be a serious start to remove tensions between the two movements," Abu Khoussa told Reuters.
Barhoum said as part of the agreement, a joint trouble-shooting office manned by members of both factions would be established to resolve issues which may spill over into violence. Officials said it could be set up as early as Friday.
According to Barhoum, the two sides also agreed to end news conferences in which each faction accused the other of stoking tensions.
