RAMALLAH, December 26 Delegation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) led by the secretary of its executive committee, Hussein al-Sheikh, is preparing to head to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to meet with the leadership of the Hamas movement, a source in the organization said.
«The delegation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, led by the secretary of its executive committee, Hussein al-Sheikh, is preparing to head to Cairo to meet with the leadership of Hamas. Al-Sheikh has an initiative that includes the integration of Hamas into the structure of the PLO — the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in all places his residence,» the agency's interlocutor said.
To integrate Hamas into the PLO, this movement, he said, must «recognize international law, popular resistance and adhere to the program and policies of the Palestine Liberation Organization.»
“If the Hamas movement agrees with the above, the possibility of forming a government of national accord from all Palestinian factions will be discussed,” the source said.
Previously, adviser to the Palestinian leader Mahmoud al-Habbash said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Hamas movement do not have contacts on the situation in the Gaza Strip.
The disagreement that led to the cessation of contacts between the Palestinian National Authority and the authorities in the Gaza Strip, as well as the Hamas and Fatah movements, arose after the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 and the establishment of Hamas supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In October 2018, both movements signed an agreement in Cairo to overcome the split and restore the integrity of the Palestinian political system, but the bulk of the agreements have not yet been implemented in practice.
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took more than 200 hostages. In Israel, according to the latest data from the authorities, about 1.2 thousand people were killed, this number includes civilians, soldiers, foreign citizens and workers, and it was also reported that more than 5 thousand were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
At the end of October, the ground phase of the Israeli operation in the enclave began. Gaza City was surrounded by Israeli ground forces, and the enclave was effectively divided into southern and northern parts.
According to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian enclave, the death toll in Gaza since October 7 has exceeded 20.9 thousand people, more than 54 thousand were injured.
Hamas claimed that there were about 200-250 hostages in the Gaza Strip. After the end of the truce, the Israeli authorities announced that 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners remained hostage with Hamas, 110 abducted were released.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible exclusively on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict related to territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created.