Agreements signed to expand five cities in Gaza

The Minister of Local Governance in Gaza, Engineer Mohammed Al-Farra, announced the signing of five agreements to expand a number of cities in the Gaza Strip during his visit to Morocco.

Al-Farra, along with a number of parliamentarians and members of the municipality, visited Morocco last week to discuss means of supporting the Gaza Strip.

During his Wednesday appearance on the television program “A meeting with an official” organised by the Government Media Office, Al-Farra said, “An agreement was signed with Morocco regarding the expansion of five Palestinian cities as a part of the construction projects implemented by Rabat to support the Gaza Strip.”

According to the Minister of Local Governance, the agreement included the expansion of Gaza, Khan Yunis, Jabalia, Rafah, and Deir al-Balah.

It is worth noting that there are about 44 residential localities in the Gaza Strip, extending over 360 km2. The Gaza Strip makes up about 1.33 per cent of Palestine’s historical area, according to Wikipedia.

He also added that the visit was initiated by an official invitation from the Justice and Development Party in Morocco during which he met a number of Moroccan ministers and members of parliament.

Al-Farra pointed out that the Moroccan officials expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Palestinian government in order to support the Gaza Strip.

He also noted that he met with a number of Moroccan groups supportive of Palestine to discuss means of supporting the Palestinian issue and prisoners, especially those on hunger strike.

The Minister of Local Governance called on Morocco to immediately intervene to save the lives of the Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons, and expressed his hope that real solutions will be found to support their cause.

Morocco and the prisoner issue

On his part, Dr Yunis Al-Astal, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, stated that he spoke to the Moroccans about the issue of Palestinian prisoners in “Israeli” prisons.

Al-Astal said, “During my visit to Morocco, I focused on the issue of Palestinian prisoners and the injustice and violation they are subjected to inside the prisons.”

In an exclusive talk with Al-Resalah net, Al-Astal said “We asked the Moroccan side to support the issue of the members of parliament imprisoned in Israeli prisons, and they expressed their willingness to do so.”

Al-Astal also urged Morocco to support the Palestinian issue and put in the required effort regarding the suffering of the prisoners. He also called on the Palestinian Authority to reactivate the Legislative Council in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian women

On her part, Rasha Al-Rantissi, Head of the Hamas Women’s Organization in Gaza, explained that her meetings focused on the issue of Palestinian women in Gaza.

Al-Rantissi said, “The meeting concentrated on the suffering of Palestinian women in light of the occupation; we will not forget their endurance and contribution to the resistance.”

Al-Rantissi also mentioned that the suffering of Palestinian female prisoners in “Israeli” prisons was also discussed, as well as the suppressive and unjust policies imposed on them by the so-called Israeli Prison Administration.

The occupation has about 5,000 Palestinians detained in its prisons, 450 of who are from Gaza; most of them are “veteran prisoners” and those with long sentences.

The prisoner issue is considered one of the most sensitive issues for the Palestinian people on their path towards achieving independence and liberation from the Israeli occupation. According to human rights data, almost one-fifth of the Palestinian people have been imprisoned since the beginning of the Israeli occupation.