A delegation of senior Hamas officials, led by the group’s highest-ranking political leader, traveled to Egypt on Wednesday for high-level cease-fire negotiations.
The significance of these diplomatic talks is underscored by the presence of Ismail Haniyeh, who has served as chairman of Hamas’ political bureau since 2017, governing the Gaza Strip in exile from Qatar, where he fled to around the time of his election to the top spot in the group’s governing body.
Haniyeh seldom leaves Qatar, given that the diplomatic umbrella of the wealthy Gulf state serves as a political sanctuary, allowing him to avoid being a victim of the political chaos of the Gaza Strip or being targeted by clandestine Israeli operations spearheaded by the country’s foreign intelligence agency, Mossad.
According to the Washington Post, in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani pledged to reconsider allowing Hamas to continue operating in the country after the hostage crisis is resolved.
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This high-level public appearance by the Hamas chief mirrors a similar trip to Cairo in the days leading up to November’s temporary truce being formalized. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), an ally of Hamas in Gaza with strong connections to Iran and Hizballah, announced that its leader would also travel to Egypt to participate in negotiations to end the war.
A source familiar with the ongoing meetings reported that the talks are centered on which Israelis and Palestinians will be released as part of the swap.
The Israeli government reportedly insists that all remaining women, and sick or elderly men, should be the first to be released. These same reports say that many of the Palestinians slated to be released were imprisoned for serious crimes.
Disagreement also persists regarding the duration of the proposed cease-fire.
Hamas and PIJ say they are only interested in a long-term cessation of the ongoing conflict, whereas Netanyahu says Israel will not agree to any semipermanent truce.
“All Hamas terrorists, from first to last, face death. They have two options only: Surrender or die,” Netanyahu said in a statement to the media.