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Rival Palestinian groups said on Wednesday that they have reached an agreement on reuniting their different governments in the West Bank and Gaza after years of bitter infighting that weakened them politically.

"Today we are celebrating this historical occasion for all our people in the occupied territories," said Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas senior leader.

Azzam Al Ahmed, head of the Fatah delegation, acknowledged the role that Egypt played in bring the two sides together.

However unity between the rival groups Fatah and Hamas seem unlikely to revive negotiations with Israel for an independent Palestinian state.

Israel immediately rejected the prospect of a Palestinian government including Hamas, because it has vowed the destruction of the Jewish state.

And while Palestinian officials said they had signed an initial agreement, details were scarce on tough issues, like how to unify rival security forces.

Officials said the plan, brokered by Egypt, calls for the formation of a single caretaker government in the coming days.

The government would administer day-to-day business until new presidential and legislative elections are held in a year''s time.

Mahmood Al Frookh, a Ramallah resident, urged caution, saying that agreements had been signed before to no avail.

Ahmad Assaf, a Fatah''s spokesman, said Israel''s response showed that it "wanted the division to continue."