Watan-The leadership of Hamas has begun holding meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and the implementation of the remaining provisions of the first phase, especially after Israel delayed the implementation of some provisions for several days.
Discussion on the Upcoming Agreement
For the first time, the full leadership council of Hamas has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, since its election, led by Muhammad Darwish, Chairman of the Shura Council. The delegation includes Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Khaled Meshaal, the movement’s leader abroad, and Zaher Jabarin, the leader in the West Bank, in addition to members of Hamas’ delegation negotiating the truce.
The delegation began its visit by organizing a reception ceremony honoring the freed prisoners who arrived in Egypt last Saturday as part of the second prisoner exchange operation. They then held meetings with leaders of Palestinian factions who had also arrived in Cairo, including Islamic Jihad, represented by its Secretary-General Ziad Nakhaleh, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, represented by Deputy Secretary-General Jamil Mezher.
Discussions focused on how to implement the provisions of the first phase of the truce agreement in Gaza and Palestinian demands for the second phase of the deal. The main points for the second phase will be agreed upon between Hamas and the factions to present to the mediators. This phase is considered more sensitive than the first, as it includes consolidating the ceasefire, further Israeli withdrawals from Gaza, and prisoner exchange operations involving senior detainees and those serving life sentences.
Key Prisoner Exchange Names
The Palestinian factions holding Israeli captives in Gaza have included the names of prominent prisoners for the second exchange phase. These include Marwan Barghouti, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee, Ahmad Sa’adat, Secretary-General of the Popular Front, and senior Hamas and military wing leaders such as Abdullah Barghouti, Abbas Al-Sayed, Ibrahim Hamed, and Hassan Salameh.
According to available information, the Hamas delegation began meetings with Egyptian mediators on Tuesday to discuss the details of the plan for consolidating the ceasefire and conveying the movement’s perspective. Subsequently, the negotiating team will begin indirect negotiations with the occupation through the mediators, following an agreed-upon schedule.
Difficult Negotiations
A senior official from one of the Palestinian factions that met with Hamas confirmed that mediators are determined to make the upcoming dialogue rounds successful. He added that this determination was evident in recent meetings held in Doha and Cairo, though he acknowledged that the negotiations are unlikely to be easy due to the numerous operational details, particularly regarding the withdrawal from Gaza, specifically from the “Netzarim” and “Philadelphia” corridors.
The official told that mediators will be asked to establish a monitoring mechanism for Israeli activity in Gaza to ensure that the occupation army does not expand security points along the border in the “buffer zone” or launch new attacks against Gaza in later stages.
Hamas announced in its statement that its leadership would meet with Egyptian leadership to discuss developments in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the three phases of the prisoner exchange.
Israeli Threats
These developments come as extremist ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government threaten to resume war after the first phase of the agreement, which lasts for 42 days.
Israeli media quoted far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as saying, “Israel will return to war on Gaza after the first phase of the deal,” under the pretext of “achieving goals and military resolution against Hamas.”
Smotrich added that he would draft a plan with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at encouraging the migration of Gaza residents, claiming, “In the long term, encouraging migration is the only solution that will bring peace and security to Israel and also alleviate the suffering of Gaza residents.”
Similarly, far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir adopted the same ideas, calling for the displacement of Gaza residents. He stated, “Encouraging migration is the only thing that will bring a solution, relief, and tranquility to Israel and also to Gaza residents.”
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