Hamas holds on to the principle of partnership in the management of Gaza’s crossing, a senior member of the group said, adding that the group rejects any proposal to replace the existing staff with Palestinian Authority dissidents.
In an exclusive statement issued to Al-Resalah yesterday, Ismail Al-Ashqar stressed that Hamas will only hand over the crossings within a comprehensive vision for the implementation of the tasks entrusted to the unity government, particularly the ending of the staff crisis, the paying of the operational budgets of the ministries in Gaza, and carrying out its responsibilities towards the Strip “to the fullest”.
He explained that the reconciliation file is one file, and “it is not right that the government divides it, but it has to implement what was requested from it in the Cairo Agreement.”
In its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the unity government called for a date to be set for the handover of the Rafah and other border crossings in the Gaza Strip.
In this context, the Presidential Guard Service of the PA expressed its readiness to take control of the crossings.
Ghassan El-Nemr, the guard service’s spokesman, told Al-Resalah in a statement released yesterday, that the guard will implement every decision or task issued from the head of the Palestinian political pyramid, and will begin to apply them on the ground.
He stated that the Rafah crossing needs special coordination and preparation with “different bodies”.