Hamas Grants Israel Two Months to Implement Understanding

Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Cairo, Egypt on Nov. 22, 2017. AFP Photo/Mohamed El-Shahed
Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Cairo, Egypt on Nov. 22, 2017. AFP Photo/Mohamed El-Shahed
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Hamas Grants Israel Two Months to Implement Understanding

Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Cairo, Egypt on Nov. 22, 2017. AFP Photo/Mohamed El-Shahed
Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Cairo, Egypt on Nov. 22, 2017. AFP Photo/Mohamed El-Shahed

Hamas said Israel has two months to implement the recent Qatar-brokered agreements in Gaza before it launches a new round of escalation.

Member of Hamas' political bureau Khalil al-Haya warned that Israel had "two months to implement the agreements between the parties, otherwise the escalation of violence will resume."

He said the negotiations took so much time due to uncertainty regarding the duration to be granted to the occupation to implement the deal.

Israel lifted the latest sanctions that were imposed on Gaza Strip, reopened the crossing borders, provided the Strip with fuel and allowed fishermen to return to the sea within a truce deal- brokered by Qatar.

In return, the truce deal stipulates that Hamas halts all forms of escalation.

Qatar's ambassador to Gaza Mohammed al-Emadi, who mediated the ceasefire between the Palestinians and Israel, said that talks are ongoing regarding a hospital in Rafah.

“I met with the head of the Israeli energy company, Delek, and discussed with him supplying gas to the Gaza power plant. It is better than operating electricity line 161,” he said.

Emadi also revealed that Israel agreed to issue 7,000 work permits for Palestinian workers.

Haya said that over $30 million in Qatari aid will enter Gaza this month, and the amount that was added to the aid will be allotted to 100,000 households by distributing $100 for each family and those who were impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

According to Haya, the agreement is not new but it's a confirmation of previous understandings.



Germany Joins US, UK in Making Diplomatic Contact with Syria's HTS

A man rides a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in the Shayah district of Homs on December 16, 2024. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP)
A man rides a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in the Shayah district of Homs on December 16, 2024. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP)
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Germany Joins US, UK in Making Diplomatic Contact with Syria's HTS

A man rides a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in the Shayah district of Homs on December 16, 2024. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP)
A man rides a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in the Shayah district of Homs on December 16, 2024. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP)

Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing contact with the group after it led the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
German diplomats' first talks with representatives of the HTS-appointed interim government will focus on a transitional process for Syria and the protection of minorities, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said.
"The possibilities of a diplomatic presence in Damascus are also being explored there," the spokesperson added in a statement, reiterating that Berlin was monitoring HTS closely.

"As far as one can tell, they have acted prudently so far," the spokesperson said of the group, whose fighters led the ouster of Assad earlier this month, ending 13 years of war.

The conflict triggered the movement of some one million Syrian refugees to Germany. Its end has stoked debate in the country on asylum procedures, now paused for Syrians pending an assessment of the situation in their home country.

Germany is liaising closely with its partners, including the US, France and Britain, as well as Arab states, on Syria, the German ministry spokesperson said.