First signs of trouble in Palestinian reconciliation emerge as cabinet holds first meeting in Gaza: The Egypt-mediated Palestinian reconciliation ran into its first hurdle yesterday when Hamas rejected Fatah’s call to dismantle its military arm, the Associated Press reports. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh told Amr Adib in an interview that the group would not lay down its arms “as long as there is occupation” (watch, runtime 23:04). This came as Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah held the first cabinet meeting in Gaza yesterday “in another symbolic step toward reconciliation.”

Egypt will soon host both factions in Cairo for talks, according to an Ittihadiya statement. General Intelligence boss Khaled Fawzi — President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s special envoy to the reconciliation talks — also arrived in Gaza yesterday to meet with the unity government, after having sat down with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, Wafa News Agency reports.