A Palestinian news agency is reporting that representatives of the PLO, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad arrived in Cairo on Saturday with Hamas official expected to join soon. According to the Maan News Agency report, the parties are expected to discuss ending the conflict with Hamas:
August 3 CAIRO (Ma’an) — Representatives of the PLO, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad arrived in Cairo on Saturday from their offices in the West Bank, Doha, Damascus, and Beirut, with Hamas officials from Gaza expected to join soon.
Despite the fact that Israel reiterated on Saturday that it had no interest in taking part in ceasefire talks, Palestinian officials continued to try to work for a peaceful solution.
Hamas has insisted that any ceasefire also include an end to the eight-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has crippled the territory’s economy without reducing Hamas’ military capabilities, which was Israel’s aim in imposing the siege.
The United Nations also backed the goal of ending the siege, although Israel has refused to consider it.
A Ma’an reporter accompanying the delegation confirmed that the West Bank delegation consisted of senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad, director of the Palestinian Authority’s general intelligence service Majid Faraj, and representatives from two leftist parties: Qays Abdul-Karim from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Bassam al-Salihi from the Palestinian People’s Party.
Senior Hamas officials Muhammad Nasr and Izzat al-Rishiq arrived from the Qatari capital Doha and were joined by Mousa Abu Marzouq, who was already in Cairo. A representative of the Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhala, joined the delegation from Beirut.
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