GAZA, July 31 — The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has informed mediators of its approval of the final draft of a roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Palestinian sources told Xinhua on Friday.
The Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators are now awaiting Israel’s response before finalizing the understandings and announcing the start of the agreement’s second phase, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
In press statements, Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ negotiating delegation, said that Hamas approved the plan presented by Nickolay Mladenov, “high representative for Gaza” of the U.S.-led “Board of Peace,” after amendments to several provisions were introduced.
Hamad said that the movement would issue an official statement later.
Hamad described the negotiations as “difficult and tough,” saying the movement sought to reach “the best possible formula” that serves the interests of the Palestinian people.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions had reached an understanding on a mechanism for implementing the second phase of the agreement, including a gradual process for registering and storing weapons under the supervision of a Palestinian national committee, he said.
Hamad rejected reports describing the arrangement as disarmament, saying the issue of weapons remains linked to the implementation of the agreement’s other provisions, particularly the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the launch of reconstruction efforts.
He stressed that Hamas would not fulfill its commitments unless Israel also implemented its corresponding obligations.
Hamad also said the Israeli military would not be involved in the process of registering and storing weapons, adding that interpretations suggesting the agreement includes the disarmament of Palestinian factions are “inaccurate.”
According to Palestinian sources, the meetings in Cairo since Wednesday brought together Hamas negotiators, Egyptian officials, and Qatari and Turkish mediators.
The talks focused on arrangements to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and to resolve outstanding security, administrative and political issues, the sources said.
They added that the latest round followed discussions launched in Cairo in June involving Palestinian factions and mediators, which focused on the measures required to implement the second phase of the agreement.
The developments came shortly after Hamas concluded its internal elections, in which Khalil al-Hayya was elected the movement’s political bureau chief.
Palestinian officials involved in the talks said the new Hamas leadership had shown readiness to make what they described as “key political decisions” amid the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and pave the way for reconstruction.(Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
