The Facts

• Hamas and its primary rival Fatah, which runs the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, have signed a declaration in Beijing pledging to form a government together. The agreement doesn't include any guarantees or outline a timeline.

• The talks, which began on Sunday, included 14 Palestinian factions. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that "an agreement has been reached on post-Gaza war governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government."

• The agreement posits that Gaza will be under Palestinian control after the war. Hamas and Fatah have made several attempts at reconciliation since 2006, but all have failed. Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, said the war in Gaza has motivated the two sides to again work toward unity.