The Egyptian media reported today that Fatah and Hamas, who convened in Cairo last Saturday, have reached an agreement to establish a “support committee” to oversee the affairs of the Gaza Strip after the war, operate the Rafah crossing, and manage the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza’s infrastructure.
It appears that Hamas’s reversal of its opposition to the Palestinian Authority’s government of Mohammad Mustafa as the authoritative source for this committee enabled the agreement. This is a shift from Hamas’s position in the previous meeting before Sinwar’s elimination and in earlier meetings, where it sought to maintain its own status and not grant the PA a superior position. According to the agreement, the committee will consist solely of technocrats and professionals, and it will be formed after a presidential decree is issued by President Abbas’s office. Once appointed, the committee will be granted broad authority and operate independently.
According to Egyptian sources, this agreement was reached due to Egypt’s recent extensive efforts to help end the war in Gaza and to overcome Israeli opposition to transferring Gaza’s responsibility to Hamas or Fatah. These sources indicate that the coordination of the matter involves other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, as well as the United States.
The Palestinian media has hardly addressed this issue. It is expected that a statement will soon be issued by or on behalf of Abu Mazen, announcing the agreement. When issued, such a statement will clarify the reliability of this information.
If officially announced, this agreement would pose a challenge to Israel, which continues to oppose the involvement of the PA and Hamas in Gaza. The inter-Arab and international support for this committee is likely to amplify this challenge.
The Egyptian media reported today that Fatah and Hamas, who convened in Cairo last Saturday, have reached an agreement to establish a “support committee” to oversee the affairs of the Gaza Strip after the war, operate the Rafah crossing, and manage the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza’s infrastructure.
It appears that Hamas’s reversal of its opposition to the Palestinian Authority’s government of Mohammad Mustafa as the authoritative source for this committee enabled the agreement. This is a shift from Hamas’s position in the previous meeting before Sinwar’s elimination and in earlier meetings, where it sought to maintain its own status and not grant the PA a superior position. According to the agreement, the committee will consist solely of technocrats and professionals, and it will be formed after a presidential decree is issued by President Abbas’s office. Once appointed, the committee will be granted broad authority and operate independently.
According to Egyptian sources, this agreement was reached due to Egypt’s recent extensive efforts to help end the war in Gaza and to overcome Israeli opposition to transferring Gaza’s responsibility to Hamas or Fatah. These sources indicate that the coordination of the matter involves other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, as well as the United States.
The Palestinian media has hardly addressed this issue. It is expected that a statement will soon be issued by or on behalf of Abu Mazen, announcing the agreement. When issued, such a statement will clarify the reliability of this information.
If officially announced, this agreement would pose a challenge to Israel, which continues to oppose the involvement of the PA and Hamas in Gaza. The inter-Arab and international support for this committee is likely to amplify this challenge.