Egyptian Delegation in Gaza to Follow up on ‘Empowerment’ of Palestinian Govt.

Palestinian girls at their family’s house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters)
Palestinian girls at their family’s house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters)
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Egyptian Delegation in Gaza to Follow up on ‘Empowerment’ of Palestinian Govt.

Palestinian girls at their family’s house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters)
Palestinian girls at their family’s house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters)

An Egyptian security delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip to contain tension between the Fatah and Hamas movements, in wake of mutual accusations over the past few days that threatened to hinder the reconciliation agreement reached between the two sides in Cairo in October.

The delegation, which arrived through the Beit Hanoun crossing, included General Hammam Abu Zeid of the General Intelligence Service and Consul General Khaled Sami, and will examine the procedures of empowering the national consensus government. It will also ensure that the Palestinian ministers are handed over their respective ministries and are able to carry out their duties as agreed in Cairo.

The Egyptian security delegation held separate meetings with the deputy head of the government of consensus, Ziad Abu Omar, and the leader of Hamas in the sector, Yehya al-Senwar, to discuss the latest developments and the means to prevent any obstacles that might impede the government’s work and the reconciliation sponsored by Egypt.

Meanwhile, Hamas politburo member Khalil al-Hayya said on Monday that during his meetings with Fatah officials in Cairo, his movement had asked for concurrent elections for the presidency, parliament and national assembly, to be held before the end of next year.

In a press conference held in Gaza, Hayya called on all politicians to “stop dealing with the issue of the resistance’s weapons,” saying: “This is a red line... The weapons will be moved to the West Bank to fight the Occupation; it is our right to resist the occupation until it ends.”

He added that Hamas had called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to “conduct the necessary consultations with all parties to hold comprehensive elections simultaneously.”

He stressed in this regard Hamas’ readiness to facilitate any move related to the elections and to commit to any date set for this purpose.

While urging Fatah not to respond to any pressure or temptation from any party trying to obstruct the achievement of reconciliation, Hayya underlined the need to fully implement the Cairo Agreement, which was signed in 2011.

He also asked Egypt to “create a regional and international environment to embrace reconciliation”, highlighting the need to provide political support at the local, Arab, regional and international levels.

On the security level, Hayya pointed out that his movement “wants to complete the security file in line with the Cairo Agreement”, and asked Fatah to send a security delegation from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip to discuss the security issue.



Damascus Disarms Regime Loyalist Sleeper Cells in Deir Ezzor

Weapons that were seized in the campaign. (Deir Ezzor Governorate)
Weapons that were seized in the campaign. (Deir Ezzor Governorate)
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Damascus Disarms Regime Loyalist Sleeper Cells in Deir Ezzor

Weapons that were seized in the campaign. (Deir Ezzor Governorate)
Weapons that were seized in the campaign. (Deir Ezzor Governorate)

The internal security command in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province has banned remnants of the former regime from owning or carrying weapons, following the completion of the initial phases of a sweeping security crackdown.

The campaign, which focused on the city of al-Mayadeen near the Iraqi border, led to the arrest of dozens of wanted individuals and the seizure of large quantities of weapons and ammunition.

Col. Derrar al-Shamlan, head of internal security in the province, said 85% of the operation had been completed and described it as a major effort to dismantle “sources of chaos and threats to public safety.”

“A firm decision has been issued to prohibit the possession or ownership of all types of weapons by remnants of the ousted regime and their collaborators, due to the threat they pose to community security and stability,” Shamlan said.

He added that the ban followed confirmed reports that such weapons had been used in homicides and acts of intimidation. Shamlan also announced the completion of the second and third phases of the campaign, with plans to extend operations to the rest of Deir Ezzor province.

Security forces also launched a weapons crackdown on areas once under Iranian influence during the era of the former regime, security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The operation comes amid growing concerns that Iran could activate loyalist sleeper cells in Syria to stage attacks, as tensions escalate between Tehran and Tel Aviv. Analysts say such moves may be aimed at widening the conflict and easing pressure on Iran from Israeli airstrikes.

According to security officials, the campaign focused on disarming groups in the city of al-Mayadeen. Authorities exercised extreme caution during the raids, given the tribal nature of the region.

The operation was conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, whose forces sealed off the area and imposed a curfew.

Officials emphasized that cooperation with local residents and tribal leaders was a priority. The Syrian leadership, the sources said, is relying on tribal elders to help restore and maintain security across the country’s east.

Dozens of people have been arrested in the sweeping campaign in Deir Ezzor, with local sources estimating the number of detainees at more than 70. The charges include illegal weapons possession, drug trafficking, smuggling, murder, and failure to comply with reconciliation procedures, residents told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the sources, over a third of those detained were linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militias. Many of them, they said, were well-known in the area and had long been a source of fear and unrest for local communities.

“There is widespread frustration that the government delayed cracking down on these individuals,” one source said, noting that some of those arrested had joined the public security apparatus, only to resume their previous illegal activities.