Hamas Delegation Meets with Qatar and Egypt Officials in Cairo to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire Amid Rising Tensions

A Hamas delegation was scheduled to meet with Qatari and Egyptian officials in Cairo on Monday to discuss the maintenance of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, according to a source close to the negotiations who spoke with AFP.

The Israeli military conducted strikes on numerous Hamas positions throughout Gaza on Sunday after militants killed two Israeli soldiers. Israel accused Hamas of "a blatant violation" of the existing truce.

Hamas denied any involvement in the attack and instead claimed that Israel had violated the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since October 10.

The source indicated that the delegation, led by Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, would address "the dozens of airstrikes that killed dozens in the Gaza Strip" on Sunday.

Egypt and Qatar have historically served as mediators in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, working toward ending the conflict that erupted following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Hamas delegation will also engage with Egyptian officials to discuss an upcoming intra-Palestinian dialogue hosted by Egypt, aimed at "unifying the Palestinian factions," the source told AFP.

Egypt has previously hosted several meetings between Palestinian factions, notably including the two main rival political movements, the Islamist movement Hamas and Fatah, whose leader Mahmud Abbas serves as president of the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas and Fatah have been adversaries for decades, particularly since Hamas forcibly expelled Fatah from the Gaza Strip in 2007.

"The dialogue aims to unify the Palestinian factions and discuss key issues, including the future of the Gaza Strip and the formation of the independent committee of experts that will assume management of the Strip," the source stated.

Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, an independent transitional authority managed by technocrats has been proposed to administer Gaza.

Hamas has indicated it does not wish to govern Gaza after two years of conflict, yet its forces have returned to areas from which Israel has withdrawn since the ceasefire began.

Several Palestinian political officials have recently suggested the possibility of appointing a group of unaffiliated Palestinian managers to administer the Palestinian territory.

Another informed source told AFP that "mediators' contacts and efforts succeeded last night in restoring calm and implementing the ceasefire agreement in Gaza".