Hamas sources said Friday that contacts have been renewed over the past two days between the organization and various mediators, primarily Egyptian intelligence officials, regarding reaching an agreement with Israel over calm in Gaza.
Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is considered very close to the organization, reported that UN special envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov is expected to meet in the coming days with the Hamas leadership in order to complete the negotiations on the agreement.
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UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza
(Photo: Archive)
Mladenov and the Hamas leadership will also discuss the possibility of reaching a long-term settlement agreement with Israel, which will include a solution to the most pressing issues - including the two Israeli captives and bodies of two fallen IDF soldiers held by Hamas and easing of the closure on the Strip.
The meeting is expected to take place just days after Mladenov met with Defense Minister Naftali Bennett.
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Defense Minister Naftali Bennett meets with UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov
(Photo: Courtesy)
A senior official involved in the negotiations told Ynet that despite the encouraging signs, there is still no breakthroughs on the issue of the Israeli captives and KIAs.
He said, however, that there was an expectation that implementation of the agreement would lead the parties to begin talks on the sensitive issue of a prisoner deal as well.
Since the end of the IDF's Operation Black Belt two weeks ago, which began with the killing of Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al_Ata, Israel and Hamas have both indicated a desire to reach a larger agreement on the Gaza Strip.
According to an Israeli demand, this includes the end of the weekly "March of Return" protests along the Gaza border in exchange for significant relief of the closure.
Other steps include a field hospital currently being set up near the Erez Crossing between Gaza and Israel, which is expected to provide very advanced medical services to Gaza's residents.
The hospital was established with Israeli approval and private U.S. funding.
Progress is also being made in connecting the Gaza Strip to a new power line from Israel, also with international funding, which will significantly improve the electricity supply in the Gaza Strip.
Another project underway is the construction of a desalination plant on the Gaza coast.
Meanwhile, Hamas earlier this week canceled the demonstrations at the fence for the third consecutive week in a row.