Hamas and Hamdallah agree on committee to resolve Gaza crisis

A delegation from the Islamic Resistance Movement and the Prime Minister of the National Reconciliation Government, Rami Hamdallah, agreed on Wednesday evening on the formation of a special joint committee to develop solutions for the crises hitting the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas delegation which met with Hamdallah was led by senior political bureau member Khalil Al-Hayah. He said that the committee will address issues such as border crossings, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, electricity shortages and the employees of the previous Hamas-led government in the territory. “The meeting,” added Al-Hayah, “was held in a positive atmosphere.”

Apart from Al-Hayah, the Hamas delegation included two leading figures in the movement: Ziad Al-Zaza, and Ghazi Hamad, as well as spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. Prime Minister Hamdallah was accompanied by his Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture Ziad Abu Amr and other ministers of the reconciliation government in Gaza.

The discussions focused on ways to develop efforts to achieve national reconciliation, especially the issue of the former employees of the Gaza government who have not been paid regularly for almost two years.

Mr Hamdallah began his visit to Gaza on Wednesday afternoon and plans to be there for three days. It is the second time that he has gone to the besieged territory since the formation of the reconciliation government last June.

Prior to his meeting with the Hamas delegation, the prime minister met with representatives of Fatah, including a member of its central committee, Zakaria Al-Agha and Faisal Abu Shahla MP.

Images by MEMO Photographer Mohammed Asad