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Egyptian Intelligence chief visits Israel for Gaza talks
The head of Egyptian Intelligence, General Abbas Kamel, visited Israel yesterday to finalise details of a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported that Kamel travelled to Tel Aviv to meet with Israeli officials and is expected to meet Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah later today to present the Palestinian leader with the details of the arrangement.
The ceasefire agreement is believed to be based on principles that were agreed by both parties in 2014 to end Operation Protective Edge. These include the lifting of restrictions at the Kerem Shalom crossing, expanding the Gaza fishing zone, rehabilitation of Gaza infrastructure and and an end to attacks from both sides.
Kamel also discussed indirect negotiations with Hamas for exchanging prisoners with Israel and Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, both of which have stalled previous ceasefire agreements due to significant differences between the sides.
On Tuesday, high-level delegations from Hamas, including the deputy head of Hamas’s politburo Saleh al-Arouri and representatives from Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees, travelled to Cairo to discuss the plan.
Palestinian news agency Wafa quoted Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) official Azza al-Ahmad saying the ceasefire is a “betrayal of the Palestinian people and its national cause”. The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah is reportedly worried that it will legitimise Hamas as an independent international actor separate from the PA.
The Israeli Security Cabinet convened for four-hours yesterday to discuss the ceasefire arrangement. YNET reported that the security establishment believes Hamas has promised to stop the flying firebombs and missiles into Israel. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has denied the existence of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
On Wednesday, Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza and extended the Gaza fishing zone.