Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a unity declaration in Beijing working to end a yearslong rift, Chinese state media said Tuesday.

This is the 16th signed agreement between the rivals over the past decade. However, this agreement highlights China’s attempt to deepen its influence in the Middle East.

In a statement, Hamas described the so-called Beijing Declaration as an "additional positive step on the path to achieving Palestinian national unity," adding "its importance comes in terms of the location and the host country."

Hamas leader Hossam Badran described the declaration as "an important step on the path to national unity" and highlighted the host country's role and "international weight."

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz condemned Fatah "embracing" Hamas "instead of rejecting terrorism."

"In reality, this won’t happen because Hamas's rule will be crushed, and Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar. Israel's security will remain solely in Israel's hands," Katz said.

-ABC News' Nasser Atta

Following their 10th meeting at the White House Monday, the families of Americans being held by Hamas demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accept a deal with Hamas to free the hostages.

"There are no more major security issues to be solved on Israel's part, it is time to bring this to an end, to end the suffering of millions on the Palestinian side," Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, told reporters following the meeting. "It is time to make that decision. No more delays."

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, told reporters their assumption is that Netanyahu will thank America for its steadfast support over the last 10 months and announce that he is "ready to be doing this deal."

"If this deal doesn't start, if the process doesn't start, it will be seen as a failure," she said. "We know that there are just a couple people deciding at this point. And we have optimism and hope and faith that these deciders will make the right decisions and we can start this process now."

The families declined to share any details from their meeting with the White House National Security Council, which comes ahead of Netanyahu's address to Congress this week.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington, D.C., according to the Embassy of Israel to the USA.

He is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and give an address to Congress this week.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., will preside over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday, a source confirmed to ABC News.

Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will be behind Netanyahu in the House chamber for the address.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the first in line to preside over the session, will be traveling on Wednesday and therefore not be in attendance.

A separate source confirmed to ABC News that Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. -- who, as the Senate president pro tempore, is second in line for presiding -- declined to preside.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin