On the 11th of last month (local time), black smoke rose over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip due to an Israeli military airstrike. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The Palestinian armed faction Hamas and Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority, held a meeting in Beijing, China. This reflects China's effort to showcase its mediation capabilities and expand its influence on Middle East issues.
Lin Zhen, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained at a regular briefing on the 30th that representatives from Hamas and Fatah attended the meeting arranged by China.
Spokesperson Lin stated, "Representatives from both sides recently arrived in Beijing for in-depth and candid discussions," adding, "The two sides discussed many specific issues and made positive progress."
Hamas has effectively controlled the Gaza Strip since ousting Fatah in 2007. Fatah is the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority (PA) but currently governs the West Bank in a limited capacity.
Both sides are discussing the formation of a unified Palestinian government, but it is known that narrowing their differences remains difficult.
China holds the position that the so-called 'two-state solution,' where Palestine and Israel coexist, is the only viable resolution to the issue.
China’s arrangement of this meeting appears aimed at demonstrating its mediation role in Palestinian internal affairs and the Gaza Strip conflict, thereby increasing its influence in the Middle East.
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