A Hamas delegation led by Hossam Badran held meetings with Palestinian factions in Cairo on Monday, focusing on legislative and Palestinian National Council elections, and efforts to end the Palestinian political division. The meetings brought together Hamas representatives with those from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Reform Current within Fatah, and other factions.
Palestinian long-delayed legislative elections, last held in 2006, are currently scheduled for November. However, the timetable has come under renewed uncertainty after Fatah Secretary-General Jibril Rajoub said earlier this month that the elections would not be held on schedule without a comprehensive national dialogue on the mechanisms for conducting them.
The Palestinian factions have also been discussing preparations for National Council elections and the future structure and role of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Earlier this month, PLO factions held talks in Ramallah on preparations for the two elections and ways to strengthen the organisation and unify the Palestinian ranks.
The participants stressed the Palestinian people's right to defend themselves, their land and their holy sites, and to hold on to their national rights and constants. They also stressed Palestinians' right to freely and transparently elect their representatives to the Legislative Council and the Palestinian National Council, rejecting appointment, exclusion and unilateral decision-making.
The parties agreed to continue consultation and coordination among Palestinian factions, political forces and national figures, and to work toward ending the division and restructuring the PLO on democratic, participatory and national foundations. They further agreed to work towards a unified national strategy to confront the occupation, settlement expansion, Judaization, forced displacement and annexation.
Badran's trip is the latest in a series of Hamas visits to Cairo this year, as Egypt continues brokering talks among rival Palestinian groups over political unity, the shape of a future Gaza administration, and a joint strategy against Israeli settlement expansion. Egypt has for years positioned itself as the principal broker of intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
The consultations follow the ceasefire agreement reached at the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in October 2025, when Egypt, the United States, Qatar and Turkey brokered a deal to end the Gaza war and open the strip to sustained humanitarian aid.
Key points
- The Palestinian factions agreed to continue consultation and coordination to end the division and restructure the PLO.
- The meetings focused on legislative and Palestinian National Council elections, and efforts to end the Palestinian political division.
- Egypt continues brokering talks among rival Palestinian groups over political unity and a joint strategy against Israeli settlement expansion.
