Fatah, Hamas demonstrate flexibility in forming PA-run Gaza management committee: Source

CAIRO – 2 November 2024: An official security source said Fatah and Hamas have shown more flexibility and positivity towards establishing a community support committee to manage Gaza as representatives from both sides met in Cairo on Saturday.

The source noted that the committee will be affiliated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and compromise independent figures.

The committee will be issued by a presidential decree from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, an informed Egyptian source said.

The source noted that both Fatah and Hamas hold a positive outlook toward the Egyptian efforts on forming the committee despite challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

The meeting between Fatah and Hamas in Cairo today aimed at achieving Palestinian unity and emphasizing the need to maintain unity between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the source said.

The security source emphasized that these meetings are purely Palestinian affairs while the pertinent Egyptian efforts aim to unify the Palestinian sides and alleviate the suffering of the people of Palestine.

GAZA CEASEFIRE

Egypt, along with the United States and Qatar, is actively mediating between Hamas and Israel to end the Gaza war that has continued for 13 months and facilitate the exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.

The informed source stated that Egypt is continuing its efforts with both the Palestinian and Israeli parties to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Egypt is intensively working towards resuming the stalled Gaza negotiation process that has been inactive since last July, the source added.

He stressed that while the Egyptian efforts in this regard enjoy global support, one of the two sides remains reluctant to engage in them.

The security source noted that Hamas insists on not phasing negotiations for fear of handing over the captives and then having the Israeli war resumed.

TWO-DAY PAUSE

In a recent initiative, Egypt has proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to enable the exchange of four Israeli captives for "some" Palestinian prisoners, as disclosed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi last week.

During a press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Egypt on Sunday, Sisi outlined the proposal, which includes negotiations within 10 days from implementation to achieve a “full ceasefire” and facilitate aid delivery.

“Our brethren in the Strip are enduring a severe siege that verges on famine, and it is crucial that aid enters as fast as possible,” stated Sisi.

Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly rejected ceasefire and captive-prisoner swap negotiations under truce, affirming that talks “will take place only under fire," according to Israel’s Channel 12.

Meanwhile, Hamas also rejects a temporary ceasefire, affirming that they will only accept a permanent cessation of hostilities.

“The idea of a temporary pause in the war, only to resume aggression later, is something we have already expressed our position on,” Senior Hamas leader Taher al-Nunu told AFP. “Hamas supports a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one.”

The war in Gaza since October 7 has killed 43,314 Palestinians, injured over 102,000 others, according to the health ministry in Gaza on Saturday. The war also devastated critical infrastructure and pushed the enclave toward the brink of famine.