Egypt stresses importance of Palestinian reconciliation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri yesterday stressed the “importance” of the internal Palestinian reconciliation, Quds Press reported.

During a meeting with the Fatah official in charge of talks with Hamas, Azzam Al-Ahmad, in Cairo, Shukri stressed on the “importance of a proper handover” of government in Gaza, noting that Egypt is contributing to facilitating the hardships of life in the besieged enclave.

According to the spokesman of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ahmed Abu-Zeid, Al-Ahmad “briefed” Shukri about the latest development on the Palestinian arena, regarding both of the internal reconciliation and the peace process.

Al-Ahmad hailed the Egyptian efforts being exerted to push forward the internal Palestinian reconciliation, Abu-Zeid said.

Read: Egypt is not an honest broker for Palestinian reconciliation

The Fatah official’s visit to Egypt comes at the same time as that of a Hamas delegation headed by Ismail Haniyeh.

Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation deal on 12 October 2017 in Cairo. Hamas handed over the government in Gaza to Fatah, but Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, did not lift any of the punitive measures he imposed on the besieged enclave.