A senior Hamas official has disclosed details regarding the movement’s ongoing negotiations concerning the Gaza Strip, taking place in Cairo. According to the official, a Hamas delegation traveled to the Egyptian capital on Sunday to discuss the political and field developments in Gaza, commencing Monday. The primary focus is to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, which faces significant obstacles and continued Israeli violations, according to the Hamas representative.
Mohammad Nazzal, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, stated that the delegation is holding meetings with various Palestinian factions and powers, in addition to meetings with Egyptian officials. These discussions revolve around several key issues related to the agreement, most importantly, ways to solidify the ceasefire and transition to subsequent phases.
Nazzal elaborated that the Cairo discussions encompass critical files, including the formation of a Palestinian committee comprised of technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip. While the principle of forming such a committee has been agreed upon between Palestinian factions and Egyptian authorities, it has encountered reservations from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel.
The Hamas delegation is reportedly coordinating with other Palestinian forces to overcome obstacles hindering the committee’s formation. Nazzal emphasized that the committee should be purely Palestinian, with its fundamental reference point being Palestinian, while striving for consensus on its members. He added that the factions had previously submitted a list of approximately 40 names to the Egyptian side, from which a selection was made. However, some names faced objections.
The PA, according to Nazzal, is advocating for specific individuals and insists that the committee’s authority should be linked to the PA and the Palestinian government. While Hamas does not object to this in principle, it maintains that competent and independent individuals from the Gaza Strip, residing within it and trusted by Palestinian society, should be prioritized. Nazzal further indicated that Israel also has reservations regarding certain proposed names. Discussions on this matter are being conducted through mediators, particularly Egyptian authorities, in an effort to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from exploiting these differences to evade commitments.
