Palestinian women in the West Bank and Gaza held rallies Monday to commemorate International Women's Day.
In Gaza, hundreds of women took to the streets urging Fatah and Hamas to end their rivalry.
Demonstrators chanted slogans denouncing the division and calling for reconciliation. They urged Hamas and Fatah to close ranks as soon as possible to confront Israel's occupation, ongoing settlement activities and plans to "judaize" Jerusalem.
"Women want the division to end," read some of the posters raised along with Palestinian flags. Several female political leaders from Palestinian Liberation Organization factions joined the rallies.
The union of Palestinian women released a statement commemorating International Women's Day and urging Fatah and Hamas to reconcile.
In Ramallah, Palestinian women marched from the Qalandyia refugee camp toward the army checkpoint, where dozens of Israeli soldiers were waiting.
There were no clashes, but witnesses said Israeli forces formed a human wall to stop the women entering the checkpoint, which stands between Ramallah and Jerusalem.
Women raised banners calling for national unity, an end to the occupation, the demolition of the separation wall and a halt to settlement building.
International activists joined the protest wearing traditional Palestinian Keffiyahs and waving Palestinian flags.
Former Palestinian Authority Minister for Women's Affairs Rabiha Diab said the rally sent a message to remind the world that Palestinian women were still under occupation.
