Egyptian intelligence officials meet with Hamas leaders in Gaza as part of a "last effort before the escalation" – Palestinians


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A delegation of senior Egyptian intelligence officials arrived Tuesday in the Gaza Strip for a series of meetings with Hamas leaders to discuss efforts to reach agreements for Palestinian reconciliation and a long-term agreement with Israel . Sources in Gaza told Haaretz that the talks were part of the latest efforts to prevent an escalation in the region after months of clashes between Gazans and Israeli forces along the border.

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According to sources in Gaza, the delegation led by Major General Ahmed Abdel Khalek – the intelligence officer in charge of Palestinian affairs – met with Hamas Politburo leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas leader in Gaza. Yaha Sinwar.

A source told Haaretz that Tuesday's meetings were preparations for Thursday's visit by Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel to Gaza. Kamel is also expected to visit Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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A senior Abbas official confirmed the planned meeting in Haaretz, adding that Hamas' stance on Palestinian reconciliation will be presented to Abbas, with emphasis on the return of the Palestinian government to Gaza. According to media reports in Arabic, Kamel will also travel to Tel Aviv and Amman as part of his efforts.

In both Gaza and Ramallah, the talks scheduled for this week will give great importance to continuing talks on reconciliation and tensions between Israel and Hamas. Sources in Gaza said the talks would aim to prevent a new round of fighting in the coastal enclave.

A Hamas source told Haaretz that Hamas and Israel were not interested in a confrontation despite fierce statements from both sides and that there was therefore an attempt to advance a plan of action. help in Gaza without an official announcement. This would result in a flow of money and goods from Israel and Egypt to Gaza to promote projects generating jobs in exchange for a gradual de-escalation of tensions without an explicit announcement. Hamas and without formally separating the Palestinian Authority from this plan. .

Ramallah continues to insist on control of the Gaza Strip as a precondition for promoting such projects. A senior official of the PLO's executive committee told Haaretz that meetings with the Egyptian intelligence chief would form the basis of the decisions to be taken by the end of the year. "This situation will not last forever and decisions will soon be made in this regard," said the official.

Last week, the London-based Al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper said tKamel should inform Abbas that if the Palestinian Authority does not cooperate, Cairo will end its mediation efforts and work unilaterally with the government. Hamas on the situation in Gaza.

Last week, fuel paid for by Qatar, a region of the Gulf of Mexico, was shipped to the Gaza Strip to bolster the energy supply of the band's residents. Following violent clashes with Israeli forces at the border, during which seven Palestinians were killed, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered a halt to the fuel shipment in the country. # 39; enclave.

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