(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza for the first time in two years yesterday, in a potential first step to ending a decade-long conflict between the two major factions.
Arriving in the enclave Hamdallah said the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority would resume control of Gaza's government in the coming days.
Hamdallah met with the leaders of Hamas.
Washington gave a cautious welcome to the PA's return to Gaza, while stressing that any new Palestinian government would have to recognise Israel.
'The United States welcomes efforts to create the conditions for the Palestinian Authority to fully assume its responsibilities in Gaza, White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt wrote on his Facebook page.
The UN welcomed the visit, saying it was 'carefully optimistic of ending the split which is seen as a key complicating factor in potential peace talks with Israel.
Al-Azhar, one of the world's leading Islamic seats of learning, also welcomed the steps taken towards national reconciliation.
Hamdallah was welcomed by thousands of Gazans, with hopes that this reconciliation plan can avoid the problems that wrecked several previous attempts.
Hamas recently agreed to hand over civilian power to a unity government after Egyptian mediation and Hamdallah said they would get to work immediately.
'The government began to exercise its roles in Gaza from today, Hamdallah said.
'We return to Gaza again to end the division and achieve unity.
Later he met with Hamas' overall leader Ismail Haniya and its Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar, and is expected to chair a cabinet meeting.
Hamas ousted the PA in 2007, but recently agreed to dissolve what has been seen as its rival administration and make way for a unity government.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's PA is the internationally recognised Palestinian government and supposed to steer its people to an independent state.
UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said he was 'carefully optimistic about the reconciliation talks.
'If the region stays engaged, if Egypt's role continues and if the political parties themselves continue to show the willingness they are currently showing to work with us on this process, then it can succeed, he said.
The logistics of Hamdallah's visit were themselves an indication of divisions and challenges.
Arriving by road from Ramallah, about 70km away in the West Bank, Hamdallah's convoy crossed Israel and then transited the fortress-like Erez crossing into Gaza before passing a Hamas checkpoint.
Hamas last month finally agreed to the PA's return to Gaza.
For Gaza's 2mn residents, the hope is to see an improvement in their miserable living conditions in the overcrowded territory.
Abu Musa Hamduna, a 42-year-old Gazan, welcomed the return of central government.
'We call on it to take care of the young - this is the most important - and to resolve the electricity crisis and improve the living conditions of the people of Gaza, he said.
Hamas and Fatah, which dominates the PA, have both expressed confidence the latest unity initiative will fare better than in the past.
Particularly thorny issues include the potential future of Hamas' military wing.
The Hamdallah delegation's visit is seen as largely symbolic and preparing the ground for further talks, probably in Cairo.
The outcome will determine the Palestinians' acceptance on the international stage.
The PA recognises Israel, but that appears to remain out of the question for Hamas.
Israeli construction minister and former general Yoav Galant says everything depends on Hamas accepting Israel's existence and ending armed struggle.
'If the answer is positive, we can talk about a lot of things, he says. 'If it is negative, nothing has changed and all this is a deception.
From left: Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar, Director of Palestinian General Intelligence in the West Bank Majid Faraj, Hamas' overall leader Ismail Haniya and Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah at a meeting in Gaza City yesterday.
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