Cairo: Fatah, Hamas discuss Egyptian proposals to reopen Rafah crossing

Fatah is discussing Egyptian proposals to reopen the Rafah crossing with Hamas in Cairo, a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council revealed yesterday.

Abdullah Abdullah said: “Fatah is keen on an immediate end to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and to quickly provide aid and begin reconstruction.”

He added that “a delegation from Fatah is in Cairo with a Hamas delegation, discussing Egyptian proposals related to opening the Rafah crossing [between Gaza and Egypt] and for the Palestinian Authority to manage it from the Palestinian side.”

Cairo has closed the Egyptian side of the crossing since Israel took over Palestinian Rafah in May.

Abdullah did not provide details of what is contained in the Egyptian proposals.

On Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Cairo submitted a proposal that includes a 60-day truce and a prisoner exchange between the Palestinian factions and movements and the Israeli occupation. Under the terms of the deal, Israel would maintain its military presence in Gaza.

It also includes the reopening of the Rafah crossing in December, and for the Palestinian Authority to manage the Palestinian side of the crossing with European supervision, overseen by Israel. Hamas would completely withdraw from the crossing.

There was no comment from the concerned parties regarding the report.

On Saturday, a Hamas delegation, headed by the movement’s leader Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo to meet with the head of Egyptian General Intelligence, Hassan Rashad, according to press reports.

Media sources reported yesterday that Cairo is trying to strengthen reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, while pushing towards reaching a prisoner exchange deal. According to reports, they also sent a delegation to Israel last week.

Israeli media reports said that Hamas is ready to accept a “gradual agreement” like the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and Israel, which came into effect last week.

Read: UN agency suspends aid deliveries through key Gaza crossing over insecurity