Hamas and the dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan are close to reaching a deal that would grant the Palestinian official a role in the administration of the Gaza Strip.
In return, he will receive Egyptian assistance to ease the blockade on Gaza residents, as well Emirati financial support.
A Hamas delegation is currently present in Egypt to hold the first direct meeting of its new bureau after previously holding such meetings through a video-conference system.
Egyptian and Palestinian sources participating in the talks currently held in Cairo said that a Hamas delegation discussed with officials from Dahlan's Democratic Reformist Current a plan to dissolve the Hamas administrative committee ahead of holding general elections and forming a new national unity government.
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity that Hamas hopes in return to receive Egyptian help, such as lifting the Gaza siege by reopening the Rafah border-crossing, in addition to financial support from the United Arab Emirates through a new mechanism called “Solidarity and Services Fund.”
They said that negotiations held between a high-ranking Hamas delegation and Cairo officials include Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader in Gaza Yehya Sinwar and his deputy Khalil al-Haya, in addition to Egyptian security chiefs, including Egyptian Intelligence Minister Khaled Fawzi.
Another source said that the crisis between Qatar and the four anti-terror Arab states was also tackled during the talks.
“An important part of the current efforts aim to decrease the Qatari-Turkish influence in return of enhancing Egyptian-Emirati support and cooperation with Hamas and Gaza on all levels,” the source added.
The source said that the talks touched on the possibility that Egypt establish an industrial area in the Gaza Strip to replace the Turkish plan of establishing a similar area in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza.
