DaysofPal – Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said that discussions held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, focused exclusively on the formation of an administrative committee for the Gaza Strip, stressing that the issue of disarmament was not part of the talks.
Speaking to Al Araby Television, al-Nunu said Israel is attempting to divert the discussions away from the establishment of the national committee toward the issue of disarmament. His remarks came as Palestinian factions and political forces announced on Wednesday their support for mediators’ efforts to form a “Palestinian National Transitional Committee” to administer Gaza while creating suitable conditions for the committee to immediately assume its duties in the enclave.
The factions made the announcement in a statement following a meeting held in Cairo at Egypt’s invitation and under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as part of ongoing mediation efforts to follow up on the implementation of the various phases of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Earlier, Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed the family of the last Israeli captive killed in Gaza that the Rafah crossing would not be reopened until the body is recovered. Israel’s public broadcaster also reported that Israel would not withdraw from the so-called “yellow line” unless Hamas is disarmed.
Sources said Israel continues to refuse the permanent opening of the Rafah crossing, limiting access to brief and intermittent openings. They added that mediators are working to find a solution to the crossing crisis and to ensure its sustained reopening.
Al-Nunu said that discussions over the past two days in Cairo centered on forming the administrative committee as a step toward launching the second phase of the agreement. He explained that the committee would be a Palestinian national body composed of technocrats tasked with managing all aspects of public affairs in the Gaza Strip and assuming full responsibility for the territory.
He stressed that this was the core issue addressed in the talks, noting that the first phase of the agreement has not yet been completed, particularly about Israel’s full implementation of its obligations. These, he said, include opening the Rafah crossing in both directions, allowing the entry of heavy machinery, and permitting the materials needed for reconstruction and road clearing.
Regarding disarmament, al-Nunu reiterated that the matter was not discussed during the Cairo meetings, emphasizing that the talks were limited strictly to the administrative committee.
On the handover of authority to the Palestinian national committee, al-Nunu said there is full readiness in Gaza to transfer all levels of civilian administration and responsibilities to the committee. He added that the role of Hamas and other factions would be to facilitate the committee’s work and provide it with national backing and the necessary support.
He said the committee is expected to hold meetings in Cairo, with most of its members in attendance, before entering Gaza to formally assume its duties and begin operations.
On the Rafah crossing and the issue of the Israeli captive’s body, al-Nunu said Hamas remains committed to ongoing efforts to recover the remains, but noted that technical and logistical obstacles persist due to Israel’s ban on the entry of necessary equipment and the drastic changes to Gaza’s geography caused by widespread destruction.
He stressed that the reopening of the Rafah crossing is not legally linked to the recovery of the body, arguing that Israel’s delay constitutes an attempt to evade its obligations under the agreement.
Al-Nunu concluded by saying that efforts are continuing with mediators in Cairo and Doha, as well as with the Turkish side, to pressure Israel into fully implementing the agreement, despite repeated Israeli attempts to delay and obstruct its execution.
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