GATESTONE
The Palestinian Authority’s Dangerous Pursuit of Unity with Hamas
Khaled Abu Toameh
October 19, 2026

More than three years after the October 7 massacre, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his ruling Fatah faction are still pursuing reconciliation with Hamas, the Iran-backed terrorist group that led the assault on Israel. Instead of making Hamas’s disarmament and the dismantling of its military infrastructure prerequisites for Palestinian political unity, Fatah officials are traveling to Cairo to negotiate ways of incorporating the terrorist group into a unified Palestinian political system. The latest round of talks, sponsored by Egypt, once again raises a fundamental question: Why is Fatah treating Hamas as a legitimate political partner before the group has demonstrated a willingness to abandon terrorism, surrender its weapons, and relinquish its independent military forces? The question is particularly urgent as the international community seeks to establish a different future for the Gaza Strip, one that would prevent Hamas from restoring its military capabilities and ensure that the territory is no longer controlled by an armed organization. READ MORE