DaysofPal – The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) intends to translate its public welcome of the newly formed Gaza Strip Administration Committee, headed by Ali Shaath, into concrete action by handing over all files related to the management of the territory within the coming week, according to press reports.
According to information published by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Hamas has sent a message to mediators stressing the need to fully implement the obligations of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement before moving on to discussions related to the second phase. This phase includes, most notably, the issue of weapons handover, which the US administration announced it had begun addressing two days ago.
A senior Hamas official said the movement emphasized during meetings held in Cairo last week that Israel must adhere to the provisions of the first phase of the agreement, none of which, he said, have been implemented so far. These provisions include reopening the Rafah crossing, allowing the entry of prefabricated housing units (caravans), ensuring the agreed flow of humanitarian aid, permitting the entry of rubble-removal equipment, and halting Israeli army violations of the ceasefire.
Speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the official said Hamas reaffirmed its full commitment to transferring the administration of the Gaza Strip to the national committee, which held its first meeting last Thursday at the US Embassy in Cairo. It remains unclear whether the choice of venue was made by a direct US decision.
The official noted that Hamas reached an agreement with Egyptian mediators on all details related to the mechanism for handing over Gaza’s administration. He added that Hamas leadership abroad has issued instructions to its institutions and affiliated factions to prepare for vacating their positions and organizing all administrative files in preparation for the transfer.
He said the move is intended to demonstrate that Hamas is removing itself from any accusation of obstructing efforts to end the war, both before the international community and the Palestinian people. According to the official, Gaza is now effectively under the committee’s administration, placing responsibility on the relevant parties to fulfill their commitments regarding aid delivery, the launch of reconstruction efforts, and alleviating the suffering of the enclave’s population.
Addressing accusations that Hamas has obstructed the handover of the body of Israeli captive soldier Ran Gafili, the last remaining body held by the movement in Gaza, the official said Hamas had made every possible effort to locate the remains, as confirmed by both the Egyptian committee operating in Gaza and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He revealed that Israeli authorities had hindered the entry of heavy equipment needed to remove large concrete blocks poured by the Israeli army inside some tunnels, one of which is believed to contain the body. He added that members of the Qassam Brigades, accompanied by Egyptian committee representatives and the Red Cross, conducted searches at two locations whose coordinates were provided by Israel through mediators, only to later discover that the information was inaccurate.
The official also disclosed that a meeting is expected to take place in Cairo later this week, bringing together Nikolay Mladenov, former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and a member of the Peace Council headed by US President Donald Trump, along with members of the Gaza Administration Committee and Hamas officials.
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