Israel slams deal forged by Beijing

Israel swiftly condemned an agreement brokered by China yesterday that Beijing said would bring Hamas into a "national reconciliation government" for post-war Gaza.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz insisted that "Hamas rule will be crushed" and accused Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah faction signed the deal, of embracing the group whose October 7 attacks triggered the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington to address a joint session of Congress and has vowed to continue the Gaza war until Hamas is destroyed.

Katz was speaking as Israel hammered Gaza, including southern Khan Yunis, where it had ordered a partial civilian evacuation.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuk, Fatah envoy Mahmud al-Aloul and emissaries from 12 other Palestinian factions.

Hamas and Fatah are long-term rivals and fought a brief but bloody war in 2007 in which the Islamists seized control of Gaza.

Fatah dominates the Palestinian Authority which has limited administrative control over urban areas of Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The deal outlines plans for "a temporary national unity government" that would "exercise authority and powers over all Palestinian territories" - the Gaza Strip as well the West Bank, including Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

China, which last year brokered a deal restoring ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, hailed the deal as a commitment to "reconciliation."

Katz said Abbas "embraces the murderers and rapists of Hamas" and rejected any Palestinian Authority role, saying "Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar."

That came as Israeli jets struck Khan Yunis, hours after it ordered civilians to evacuate, including areas that had been declared part of a safe zone. Gaza health ministry put the toll at 73 dead and more than 200 wounded, while thousands fled.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE