Supporters of Fatah flocked to a mass rally held in Gaza in Friday, with the numbers reaching 'hundreds of thousands' according to a Fatah spokesperson.
The rally was the first to have been held by Fatah in Gaza, since Hamas won elections there in 2007 and subsequently gained control of the territory.
The move signalled closer relations between the two groups with Hamas stating the rally was a
"celebration of national unity and a success for Hamas as well as Fatah... This positive atmosphere is a step on road to restoring national unity".
In a speech broadcast from Ramallah, Abbas said,
"Gaza was the first Palestinian territory rid of (Israeli) occupation and settlement and we want a lifting of the blockade so that it can be free and linked to the rest of the nation."
The rally marked the 48th anniversary of Fatah's armed wing, then known as Al-Assifa (The Thunderstorm), engaging in their first military operation against Israel on the January 1, 1965.
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