RAMALLAH — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is working to establish a new Palestinian unity government — which will be accepted by Hamas and the rest of the Palestinian factions — in preparation for general elections in the Palestinian Authority, the London-based Arabic-language Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported Monday, quoting Palestinian sources.

The government will be headed by former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the sources said.

According to the report, the plan is aimed at preventing any attempt to split the Gaza Strip and the West Bank into two separate political entities, amid concerns in the Palestinian leadership over international plans to advance a significant agreement in Gaza as part of US President Donald Trump’s peace deal, which won’t include the Palestinian Authority.

Abbas and Fayyad met in Ramallah last week after not speaking to each other for a long time. There were no reports on the focus of the meeting.

Abbas and Fayyad’s relations were subject to a lot of tensions during the latter’s term as prime minister due to the significant projects he had advanced to build state institutions in the Palestinian Authority and in light of the extensive support he had received from Western countries.

An aide to Fayyad told the paper that he had a roadmap and an organized plan to end the split between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and that he was willing to consider the offer if he would be given the required authorities and the independence to carry out his plan.

Last week, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman struck an agreement with with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades to begin plans to build a seaport for Gaza that will operate in Cyprus and will be supervised by Israel, according to a report on Channel 2 News.

The handing of a benefits package to Gaza, however, was said to have been made contingent upon Hamas returning slain soldiers held in Hamas captivity and the release of Israeli citizens who are still alive and who are being held by the terror group.

In addition, it was reported that Israel would assist the Americans in leading humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza who intend to pump huge sums of money into the economically crippled enclave as part of an effort to dramatically improve the quality of life for its residents. — Agencies