Hamas Delegation, Egypt Spy Chief Hold Talks On Gaza Plan
A high-level Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo and held talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein on Sunday, Egypt’s state news agency reported.
The talks come as mediators push to advance the implementation of United States President Donald Trump’s postwar plan for Gaza ahead of a visit by Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner to the region this week.
The delegation included Hamas Leadership Council head Muhammad Darwish and council members Khaled Meshaal, Khalil al-Hayya, Nizar Awadallah, Zahir Jabarin and political bureau member Ghazi Hamad.
The talks covered developments in the ceasefire agreement, the general situation in Gaza and details of the second phase of the agreement, Hamas said in a statement.
The discussions aim to explore ways of advancing Trump’s US-backed peace plan, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory and the transfer of power to Palestinian technocrats.
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Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the first phase of the agreement but warned that Israel’s ongoing violations threatened to undermine the process.
The delegation will brief Egyptian officials on alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, while Hayya will emphasise the movement’s commitment and readiness to implement the agreement once Israel announces its commitment to it.
A Hamas source told AFP a meeting was also being arranged between the Hamas negotiating delegation, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, and US officials during Kushner’s visit to Egypt this week.
The talks come as disputes over the next phase of the ceasefire continue. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on August 9 that Israel rejects the Board of Peace’s 15-point plan for the Gaza Strip and that its military will not leave until Hamas is completely disarmed.
According to Gaza’s government media office, Israeli forces have killed 342 Palestinians and wounded hundreds since the ceasefire took effect.
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Israel says it will not begin negotiations on the second phase of the agreement until it receives the remaining bodies of Israeli captives, while Hamas has said retrieving those bodies requires time because of the massive destruction across Gaza.
Hamas praised Egyptian efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and said contacts were underway with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators to compel Israel to abide by the agreement.