A Hamas delegation began talks on Sunday in Egypt with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad to discuss ways of advancing the US-backed peace plan for Gaza, a Hamas official told AFP. The delegation, led by Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt on Saturday evening.
Hamas said in late July it was ready to hand over its weapons to a nascent technical committee set to govern Gaza, as part of a 15-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. The talks would cover "the latest developments in the negotiations and the efforts being made to compel Israel to abide by the agreement," a Hamas official said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, vowing there would be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza until the full disarmament of Hamas. Another Hamas source told AFP that a meeting was being arranged between the Hamas negotiating delegation, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov and US officials during a planned visit by Trump's envoy Jared Kushner to Egypt this week.
The Hamas source added that contacts were under way with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators "to compel Israel to abide by the agreement." Kushner is scheduled to visit Israel and Egypt this week to bridge gaps in the Gaza plan.
