Hamas, Egypt officials discuss Gaza government committee

Under a 20-point programme proposed by US President Donald Trump in October last year, Gaza would be administered by a transitional Palestinian committee supervised by a so-called "Board of Peace" to be chaired by Trump himself.

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CAIRO: Hamas officials said on Wednesday (Jan 14) that the group had opened talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on the formation of a technocratic committee to govern Gaza as part of the US-brokered truce plan for the Palestinian territory.

Under a 20-point programme proposed by US President Donald Trump in October last year, Gaza would be administered by a transitional Palestinian committee operating under the supervision of a so-called "Board of Peace" to be chaired by Trump himself.

The Cairo meeting between a Hamas delegation and Egyptian mediators aims to address the formation of the committee, including its operational mechanisms, a senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly.

Separately, the Hamas delegation will also begin talks with leaders of other Palestinian factions who have arrived in the Egyptian capital, the official said.

"These discussions will cover political, national and field developments, the ceasefire agreement in light of alleged Israeli violations, and the technocratic committee, including the names of its members and its prospective chair," he added.

Hamas has repeatedly said it does not seek a role in any future governing authority in Gaza and would limit its role to monitoring the governance process to ensure stability and facilitate reconstruction.

Talks with Egyptian mediators will also focus on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the reopening of the Rafah crossing, the entry of aid currently stockpiled on the Egyptian side of the border, and preparations for launching the second phase of the ceasefire, the official said.

Egypt is conducting parallel talks aimed at convening a meeting between Hamas and its rival Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, to resolve outstanding issues related to the technocratic committee, he said.

Another Hamas official familiar with the negotiations said a consensus among Fatah, Hamas and other factions is required on the committee's composition.

Once an agreement is reached, Abbas is expected to issue a presidential decree formally establishing the body, the second Hamas official said.

Two names circulating as potential heads of the committee are Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister of planning in the Palestinian Authority, and Majed Abu Ramadan, the current minister of health, the second official said.

"Final agreement on the names is expected to be reached between Fatah and Hamas, in consultation with the factions, to ensure unified backing for the committee's work," he added.

Meanwhile, the Board of Peace is expected to be led on the ground in Gaza by Bulgarian diplomat and politician Nickolay Mladenov, who has recently held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Mladenov previously served as the United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process from early 2015 until the end of 2020.

Media reports say Trump is expected to announce the members of the Board of Peace in the coming days, with the body set to include around 15 world leaders.

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