Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and PA Interior Minister Nasser Yousef expressed Sunday evening their determination to curb ongoing mortar attacks in Gaza and end the state of anarchy in the Palestinian Authority.
The two figures made the remarks following a meeting between a PA delegation headed by Abbas and an Egyptian security delegation headed by Egypt’s deputy intelligence chief.
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During the session, Abbas and Yousef told the Egyptians the PA is determined to end attacks in Gaza at all cost and maintain law and order in PA territory.
Yousef stressed that nothing will deter the PA in its efforts to impose order.
Hamas: Still committed to truce
Following the meeting, the Egyptian representatives met with a Hamas delegation. During that session, the Egyptians asked Hamas members to declare their commitment to the Cairo understandings, under which the terror group committed itself to a de facto truce.
The Egyptians stressed the importance of maintaining a lull in fighting in order to advance the upcoming Gaza Strip pullout and asked Hamas to refrain from incitement against the PA.
The Hamas, meanwhile, expressed its commitment to intra-Palestinian understandings regarding a lull in fighting, senior Hamas figure Said Siam said following the meeting. However, Siam noted that the group reserves the right to respond to any Israeli aggression, such as targeted killings.
Siam also said the group told the Egyptians it wishes to maintain the Palestinian people’s unity.
The Egyptian delegation is expected to hold meetings with other Palestinian groups Monday. Meanwhile, PA officials expresses their hope to see tensions reduced in wake of Egypt’s mediation efforts.
_a.jpg "Photo: Amichai Gros")
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