Hamas spokesman: Managing Gaza is an internal Palestinian affair and we are open to ceasefire proposals

Cairo witnessed, on Saturday, a new round of negotiations related to the situation in the Gaza Strip, as part of the efforts led by mediators to stop the Israeli aggression on the Strip. A delegation from the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas participated in this round, as the movement’s official spokesman, Jihad Taha, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Hamas delegation’s visit comes within the context of the efforts and endeavors made by mediators to end the aggression on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Jihad Taha pointed out that "Hamas is open to proposals that would lead to a ceasefire and withdrawal, address all issues left by the ongoing aggression, and stop the series of massacres and war of extermination." He added that "administration of the Gaza Strip is an internal Palestinian affair that is agreed upon with all national components of our people, and this requires concerted efforts to serve the issues of our people and their legitimate rights."

This statement comes amid ongoing international and regional efforts to calm the situation in Gaza, with increasing pressure on Israel to stop the military escalation, which has worsened the humanitarian situation in the Strip. Several international and regional parties are participating in mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire, with the aim of restoring calm and opening the door to political understandings.

The Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo to discuss ways to end the aggression and achieve calm, based on an invitation from the Egyptian side, which is playing the role of mediator in the crisis. The negotiations are expected to include discussing the points of contention related to the management of the Gaza Strip, and achieving internal reconciliation between the Palestinian factions, in a way that ensures the unity of the Palestinian position in the face of current challenges.

This meeting is part of a series of meetings hosted by Cairo as part of its efforts to achieve sustainable calm in the region, ensure stability in Gaza and prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis there. Informed sources confirmed that the current talks are dominated by a positive atmosphere, as the various parties express a desire to reach understandings that stop the escalation and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Strip.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed learned that a leadership delegation from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement will arrive in Cairo today, Saturday, to join the delegations of the Hamas and Fatah movements that arrived in the past hours, as part of the discussions led by officials from the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, in order to reach an agreement that ends the war on Gaza.

A leadership delegation from the Islamic Jihad Movement arrives in Cairo to join the delegations of Hamas and Fatah

The Jihad delegation, which was invited by Egypt, is led by the movement’s deputy secretary-general, Mohammed al-Hindi. The delegation is scheduled to meet with the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, and officials concerned with the mediation file in the service, before arranging a meeting with the Hamas leadership delegation.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday, headed by the movement's acting head in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, and including leaders Zaher Jabarin, Musa Abu Marzouq, Basem Naim, and Mahmoud al-Mardawi, to meet with the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Major General Hassan Rashad, and officials concerned with the mediation file with the Israeli occupation. This came as a Fatah delegation arrived on Friday, headed by the head of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, and including leaders Azzam al-Ahmad and Mahmoud al-Aloul, the movement's deputy head.

Hamas and Fatah delegations are scheduled to meet separately with Egyptian officials in an attempt to resolve the points of contention regarding the Gaza Strip Administration Committee, which Cairo is counting on to play a pivotal role in reaching an agreement with the Israeli occupation government to end the war. Egyptian sources confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the atmosphere is positive and favorable to reaching understandings to stop the war on Gaza in light of the new ideas to move the file forward and the American support for those efforts.

Regional parties are working to persuade Hamas to accept interim agreements, claiming that it is difficult for the occupation to resume fighting again after a relatively long period of cessation, and in light of the Israeli army’s desire to end the war and the losses incurred by the Israeli economy, as well as the agreement of the administrations of US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump on the inevitability of stopping the war.

New Arab