Cairo, Egypt – As part of intensive diplomatic efforts to consolidate stability in the Gaza Strip, Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate chief Hassan Rashad received a high-level delegation from Hamas, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, the movement’s political bureau chief, on Sunday. This is al-Hayya’s first visit to Egypt since assuming leadership of the movement in late July.
Completing the Sharm El-Sheikh agreements and discussing the Trump plan
The meeting between the two sides focused on ways to complete the implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit resolutions. They also discussed the implementation mechanisms related to US President Donald Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip. For his part, Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’s political bureau, praised Egypt’s tireless efforts to promote stability and solidify the ceasefire in the Strip. Hamas affirmed its full commitment to implementing President Trump’s plan, which aims to end the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The plan also aims to immediately begin reconstruction efforts.
American diplomatic activity and Kushner’s arrival in El Alamein
On the regional and international front, US envoy Jared Kushner, accompanied by Nikolay Mladenov, the senior representative for Gaza affairs in the “Peace Council” established by US President Donald Trump, arrived at El Alamein Airport in a serious effort to bridge the gaps in viewpoints regarding the Gaza plan. This came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his rejection of it.
The 15-point plan announced by Mladenov included Hamas’s agreement to hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian committee tasked with administering the Gaza Strip. A Middle East peace official told AFP that Kushner and Mladenov were looking forward to constructive talks to advance Trump’s broader peace plan. This plan began with a ceasefire declaration in October 2015 and contributed to a reduction in the frequency of Israeli military strikes, though it did not end them entirely. The final phase of the plan—which Hamas agreed to in late July—is slated to involve Israel beginning a phased withdrawal from large areas of the Gaza Strip.
