GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip rejoiced on April 23 after Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement, hoping this time will be different. Previous agreements, including the latest in Doha in 2012, have produced little progress.
The positive atmosphere was evident, accompanied by a number of signs of strengthening reconciliation efforts on the ground. One such indication was Hamas’ release of 10 Fatah-affiliated detainees who had been accused of security violations.