Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which is the ruling party in the Gaza Strip, has announced its decision to accept a reconciliation offer made by rival Fatah party leader Mahmoud Abbas, Al-Masdar News reports.

In an official statement, Hamas stated its “desire to achieve national unity” in Palestine, after a 10-year rift that left the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as two de facto autonomous regions.

The rivalry between the two factions within the Palestinian resistance movement dates back to 2006, when Hamas scored a landslide electoral victory in the Palestinian National Authority elections.