Senior officials from rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have agreed to meet in Beijing this month in a renewed bid for reconciliation, AFP reports.

The Hamas delegation is to be headed by its Qatar-based political chief Ismail Haniyeh, while the Fatah representation will be led by deputy head Mahmud Alul, Fatah sources said.

Hamas had no immediate comment.

The representatives are to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing on July 20 and July 21, according to Fatah’s central committee deputy secretary general Sabri Saidam.

Before that, a meeting of the two groups could take place, he added.

The goal, said Saidam, “is to end the state of division with a commitment to past agreements and agreeing on a relationship between the Palestinian groups in the next stage”.