Rival Palestinian factions sign unity deal

The rival factions governing Palestinian territories signed an accord Thursday that creates a unity government and provides joint control over Gaza and the West Bank. Under the deal between Hamas and Fatah, the Palestinian Authority will resume control over Gaza, a tiny coastal strip that’s home to about 2 million people. Hamas and Fatah began their civil war in 2007, and allegiance to the two groups has divided Palestinians ever since. But it’s not clear whether Thursday’s deal will really end the animosity. A similar agreement signed in 2011 didn’t change anything. The unified government is set to take control Dec. 1, but the two sides still have tricky issues of disagreement to sort out. Two key questions involve how the new government will approach Israel, which Hamas still vows to destroy, and what it will do with the 25,000 fighters in the Hamas military wing. Egyptian security forces helped broker the deal, which also has backing from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.