An agreement signed in Doha, Qatar, on 6 February 2012, between Hamas, represented by Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mashal, and Fatah, represented by PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. It was sponsored and witnessed by Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The purpose of the agreement was to follow up on the 2011 Cairo Agreement, aimed at resolving Fatah-Hamas hostilities since Hamas’ 2007 takeover of the Gaza Strip, and remove obstacles to its implementation. The agreement called for the formation of a technocratic national reconciliation government under Abbas and for preparations to be made for presidential and legislative elections.