The senior political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniya has traveled to Cairo with a high-ranking delegation to hold talks with senior Egyptian officials about “developments” in Palestine and the region.
A Hamas statement on Sunday said the delegation had accepted an invitation extended by neighboring Egypt.
Haniyeh passed through the Rafah crossing early on Sunday and is expected to meet the head of Egypt's security services as speculation mounts that Egypt is seeking to negotiate a deal with Hamas to ease potential violence on Monday. https://t.co/bd67IK3hpp
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) May 13, 2018
The agenda will include talks over the controversial US embassy move, scheduled to take place on Monday.
The US embassy in Jerusalem is set to open tomorrow following widespread condemnation.
Here’s what the controversial move means: pic.twitter.com/D3mSzAoQOm
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 13, 2018
Thousands of Palestinians are expected to protest against the move from across the occupied Palestinian territories on Monday, including the Gaza Strip as part of the Great March of Return.
WATCH: Ahead of the US Embassy move, Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem were beaten by Israeli forces today.
[Video via @haaretzcom] pic.twitter.com/XIKuVyPeSn
— The IMEU (@theIMEU) May 13, 2018
Haniya is also expected to discuss the rekindling of the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement that has largely been at a standstill for months, according to Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum.
Reconciliation between the Palestinian government and Hamas faces renewed challenges following an assassination attempt on PM Rami Hamdallah pic.twitter.com/XSdVljR79g
— TRT World (@trtworld) March 29, 2018
Ties between the two sides reached a new low in March when Fatah blamed Hamas for an explosion that targeted Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah’s convoy during a visit to the Gaza Strip.
Haniya is expected to return to Gaza later on Sunday.
(AJE, PC, Social Media)
