Arriving In Cairo, Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Discusses Strengthening The Ceasefire

Illustration of Hamas militia. (Wikimedia Commons/MujahideenMuqadas)

JAKARTA - Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday for the first time in a series of talks this week between Egyptian authorities and Palestinian factions, to strengthen a ceasefire with Israel, Palestinian and Egyptian sources said.

Haniyeh and Egyptian officials will discuss strengthening the ceasefire with Israel, as well as a reconstruction plan for Gaza, Qassem said. According to him, Egypt has promised to allocate 500 million US dollars for reconstruction.

"Haniyeh's visit was at a special invitation from Cairo, before a wider gathering of Palestinian factions that could start as early as next week, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said.

During this meeting, Egypt hopes to meet with the stronghold of Fatah, which controls the West Bank, Hamas' rivals, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian sources said.

The Fatah delegation planned to be led by Jibril Rajoub. expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming days, a Palestinian official said.

Egypt is known to play a major role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, after 11 days of conflict erupted on May 10.

Egypt is active in encouraging the cooperation of all factions in Palestine, which is considered important to continue to promote efforts to build peace in the region.

As many as 254 Palestinian civilians were killed, including 39 women and 66 children, in hundreds of Israeli air strikes on Gaza during the 11-day armed conflict. While on the Israeli side the death toll reached 13 people.