The talks being conducted by a leadership delegation from the Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” are still ongoing in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and are discussing the latest formulas presented by the “Peace Council” to develop the ceasefire agreement and move to the second phase, after the movement responded to them. Currently, work is underway to arrange a new meeting between the delegation and the Council’s representative, Nikolay Mladenov, in the presence of the three mediators.
A source in the movement that the movement's delegation, headed by Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya, which arrived at the end of last week, held several meetings with the mediators, all of which discussed Hamas's latest response to Mladenov's paper, which was presented with the aim of moving to the second phase of the agreement. The source indicated that Hamas had given positive responses to the paper, with some observations, especially since the movement's initial position in the previous meeting with Mladenov was accepted by the official in the "Peace Council" and the mediators.
He stressed that Hamas had presented a position based on agreeing to link the implementation of the remainder of the first phase of the agreement, which Israel is still being strict about implementing, with moving to the second phase of the agreement, provided that there is a mechanism that obliges Israel to implement it according to a specific timetable.
He pointed out that Hamas and the factions that are partners with it in the negotiations are ready to sign the new agreement immediately, but they asked Mladenov, after the penultimate round of talks in the presence of the mediators, to start with the new agreement a complete cessation of Israeli attacks on Gaza, lifting the siege in accordance with the humanitarian protocol, and an immediate Israeli withdrawal from the areas that it expanded and crossed the “yellow line”, provided that this includes a withdrawal from the occupied areas of the Gaza Strip, according to the terms of the second phase.
According to the source, since its arrival in Egypt, the movement's delegation has discussed several items included in the "Peace Council" paper, based on the movement's responses and after the mediators contacted the Israeli side. The source indicated that messages had previously been received indicating the possibility of reaching solutions regarding about two-thirds of the last paper that was submitted, while the disagreements currently revolve around the files of "resistance weapons" and Gaza employees, as well as the withdrawal.
It should be noted that Hamas and the resistance factions agreed to the formula of “limiting, collecting and storing weapons,” starting with heavy weapons, and handing them over to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, under the supervision of the “International Stabilization Force” formed by the “Peace Council,” which would be deployed in the second phase between the Palestinian areas and the Israeli presence. However, Israel responded with rejection and insisted on “disarmament,” adding to that its refusal to allow the employees who were appointed during the period of Hamas’s rule of Gaza to remain.
Mladenov meeting
At this time, the final Israeli response to the convergence formulas recently presented by the mediators is awaited. These formulas include clauses related to the relief of Gaza, the provision of aid and how it is managed, as well as the management of the Gaza Strip, in addition to the most important files, namely “weapons” and “employees.”
Arrangements are also being made to hold an important meeting with Mladenov, in order to discuss Hamas’s comments on the latest paper he submitted, with the aim of moving to the second phase.
Representatives of several factions allied with Hamas are likely to participate in the meeting with the representative of the Peace Council, should it be held. The date is expected to be set after the Israeli responses arrive regarding some of the points included in the second phase of the ceasefire plan.
According to the source, there are communication channels being conducted by mediators, including Israel and the “Peace Council,” in the context of searching for a quick way out that ends the crisis and prevents the situation from escalating further. The source indicated that the Hamas delegation recently presented a report on Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement and stressed the need to stop them in light of the escalating attacks and international reports confirming the difficult living conditions in Gaza as a result of Israel tightening the siege measures. The delegation also stressed the need to allow the entry of the aid quantities stipulated in the first phase agreement, which are estimated at 600 trucks per day.
Once again, the Hamas delegation asked the mediators to work on bringing the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza into the Strip, in order to immediately begin carrying out its work and implementing the urgent relief program, after the Government Action Committee was dissolved, on the condition that the rights of the employees present in Gaza are not violated.
Plan B
In this context, a source in Hamas, and another from one of the factions participating in the truce talks, confirmed that no talk was raised, neither directly nor indirectly, during the current or previous Cairo talks, about the US administration’s intention to implement what is known as “Plan B.”
This came after a report discussed a US decision to resort to this plan due to the failure of "disarmament" negotiations. The plan involves initiating work in Israeli-controlled areas by establishing zones outside Hamas control to be handed over to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. It also includes building temporary housing areas for Gaza residents who wish to relocate there. According to a previous plan, this would begin in Rafah, currently under full Israeli control, and security would be provided by a police force established by the National Committee. The report stated that this plan was recently discussed during a meeting in the Cypriot capital with the head of the National Committee, Ali Shaath.
Both sources emphasized that this is no easy matter, and that there is a strong national awareness rejecting any division of Gaza. A source within one of the resistance factions also stated, “These plans ultimately aim to implement a deportation scheme, and no one can accept it.” He confirmed that discussions are ongoing with mediators, while some are attempting to use these proposals to “pressure the resistance factions.”
He stressed that the large population of the Gaza Strip (more than two million people) requires large areas of land that are commensurate with this number, while the proposed area, which is the completely destroyed city of Rafah, is not sufficient for this number, which means the plan will fail before it even begins, especially since the talk is about temporary homes (mobile rooms).
He also pointed out that the National Committee for the Management of Gaza, which is made up of professional figures, cannot accept the nationally condemned “partition plans,” and that there is complete Palestinian consensus that relief operations should include all residents of the Strip without exception. He said: “Everyone rejects any unilateral action, whether from Israel, the “Peace Council,” or the American administration in Gaza.”He pointed to the failure of the project to establish aid distribution points in areas controlled by the occupation army, through an American company, which disappeared with the signing of the ceasefire agreement, and said that it carried “malicious plans” to divide Gaza and implement the plan to establish what is known as “safe islands”
