Officials from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) started making their way to the Gaza Strip via the Israeli controlled Erez border crossing on Sunday, to pave the way for Hamas to handover its control over the territory to the Ramallah-based government.
An Egyptian security delegation headed by Hazem Khairat, Egypt’s ambassador to Israel, also arrived to the besieged coastal enclave through Erez on Sunday afternoon, to monitor the reconciliation process. The delegation was later received by Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh.
PA Minister of Culture Ehab Bseiso, a native of Gaza, crossed into the territory with his team Sunday afternoon.
"Beyond its Palestinian reconciliation steps…[Hamas] has rebuilt bridges with Iran and turned to Egypt for help." https://t.co/xl24gWUqMg
— Ben White (@benabyad) September 22, 2017
After being greeted by officials, Bseiso told reporters that “the national reconciliation government will overcome all obstacles toward unity.”
Spokesman for Gaza’s interior ministry Iyad Buzm said in a statement the Hamas-run security services in Gaza completed procedures to secure the arrival of PA ministers and their delegations, the majority expected to arrive on Monday — their numbers expected to reach in the hundreds.
“We are looking forward to turn the page on (the political) division and achieve comprehensive national reconciliation that enhances the steadfastness of our people and preserves their rights,” he said.
In its dealings with Hamas, Cairo is fully aware that it is working with the Palestinian branch of the Muslim… https://t.co/pgXwFWCgtk
— mohamad kawas (@mohamadkawas) September 24, 2017
Hamas recently agreed to allow the national reconciliation government to operate in the Gaza Strip, possibly putting an end to a national split in the Palestinian government since a bloody conflict broke out after Hamas won a landslide victory in legislative elections in 2006.
(Maan, PC, Social Media)
