Hamas balances ties between Turkey, Egypt
A Hamas delegation has concluded a visit to Cairo to brief Egyptian officials on the latest efforts to bring about elections after reaching an agreement with Fatah in Turkey.
CAIRO — The Hamas movement sent a delegation to the Egyptian capital to meet with Egyptian officials Oct. 25. According to Palestinian officials and observers, the three-day visit comes as Hamas works to pacify Cairo following the Fatah-Hamas agreement to hold elections concluded in Istanbul. Cairo has traditionally led reconciliation efforts between Palestinian factions and tensions between Egypt and Turkey are currently strained.
In an Oct. 28 press release, Hamas stated that its delegation discussed “political developments in the region and means to pave the way for [Palestinian] reconciliation while achieving national partnership and strengthening the Palestinian front.” The movement added that the meetings focused on ways to achieve “national unity in the face of the major threats facing the nation, ways to boost the resilience and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and the difficult humanitarian conditions plaguing the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas stated that its delegation “found Egypt to be keen on achieving national partnership and Palestinian reconciliation.”
Hussam al-Dajani, a political analyst and professor of political science at al-Ummah University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that the visit to Cairo was intended to restore the relationship between Hamas and Egypt. “I think things have consequently returned to normal,” he added.
