From left: Palestinian legislator Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian Fatah delegation chief Azzam al-Ahmed, Hamas prime minister in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniya, Hamas deputy leader Musa Abu Marzuk, and secretary-general of the Palestinian Arab Front (PAF) Jameel Shehadeh in Gaza on April 23, 2014. (Photo: AFP)

Israeli and US officials have criticized Palestine’s move. Israeli chief negotiator Tzipi Livni said the deal harms peace efforts.
US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said the US is disappointed with the deal’s content and time of signing, saying that Hamas will not embrace US-backed basic principles of a peace process, as the US regards Hamas as a terrorist group.
Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation deal on Wednesday, after 7 years of inter-Palestinian division. The two factions agreed to uphold past agreements and form an interim unity government in 5 weeks followed by a general election within 6 months.