Cairo: Members of the leadership of Palestinian movement Hamas arrived in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to discuss with the Egyptian officials the process of implementing the ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, the movement said.
“This evening, a delegation represented by the Hamas leadership arrived in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on an official visit … to meet with the Egyptian leadership and discuss the progress of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement,” the movement said in a statement on Monday.
The delegation included the head of the Hamas political office abroad, Khaled Meshaal, deputy head of the political office, Khalil al-Hayya, the head of Hamas in the West Bank, Zaher Jabarin, and other members of the movement responsible for the negotiations.
The delegation will also meet with Palestinian prisoners whom the Israeli side released and deported to Egypt.
Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, agreed on January 15 to a 42-day ceasefire and declared their intention to finally end the hostilities that have claimed the lives of over 47,000 Palestinians and about 1,500 Israelis over 15 months, spreading to Lebanon and Yemen and provoking an exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Iran.
The first stage provides for a partial exchange of prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops to the Gaza borders and humanitarian aid. The second and third stages are yet to be agreed upon.
Under the deal, the guarantors of the agreement — Qatar, Egypt and the United States — will establish a coordination center in Cairo.
