For the first time since Hamas ousted President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction from rule in the Gaza Strip in 2007, an official from the Fatah government in the West Bank visited the coastal enclave on Wednesday.
Nabil Sha'ath, a member of the Fatah central committee, arrived in Gaza on Wednesday after crossing into the territory from the Erez checkpoint via Israel.
Sha'ath was welcomed in Gaza by a number of individuals who are thought to be politically unaligned.
The official, who is expected to remain in Gaza for a number of days, is scheduled to meet with figures from various Palestinian organizations, including Hamas. They are expected to discuss efforts to forge reconciliation among the rival Palestinian factions.
Palestinians who are unaffiliated with the main factions have sought to mediate the discussions between Fatah and Hamas, which have stalled since Egypt ceased its efforts to bridge the remaining gaps.
Inter-factional talks have taken on a greater urgency since both sides would like to make progress before the Arab League summit, which is scheduled to take place in late March.
