Hamas is open to dialogue and willing to hand over governance, spokesman Hazem Qassem told China Global Television Network (CGTN), as Palestinian factions voiced hope for the success of upcoming Cairo talks.
The meeting in Cairo brings Hamas, Palestinian factions and mediators together to discuss a revised ceasefire proposal.
"The talks by some parties in the 'Board of Peace' about Hamas refusing to hand over power is a deliberate disinformation campaign aimed at inciting against Hamas and giving the occupation a pretext to escalate its aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip. Hamas reiterates that it is categorically and decisively ready to hand over all areas of governance, including security, to the national committee that was agreed upon and is still in Cairo," said Hamas spokesman Qassem.
Palestinian factions believe the Cairo talks with mediators carry vital significance for Gaza's residents enduring the conflict.
"There is a very clear national demand, specifically in the Gaza Strip, that any effort to stop this brutal aggression against our Palestinian people must be based on active actions. But in principle, any negotiations that perpetuate the state of political and geographical separation are absolutely unacceptable," said Mahmoud Al-Zaq, a member of the Political Bureau of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front.
Hamas accused Nickolay Mladenov, the U.S.-led "Board of Peace" representative for Gaza, of blocking the work of the technocratic committee.
"The occupying forces have also been effectively preventing the committee from passing through the crossing points. Eventually, the 'Board of Peace' was unable to bring the committee into the Gaza Strip or provide it with any operational resources. Hamas said it is fully prepared to hand over all matters to the committee, but the real obstacles for this are the occupying forces and Mladenov," said Qassem.
Palestinian factions voiced optimism that the Cairo talks could bring relief to Gaza's residents suffering under the conflict.
"We hope that these negotiations will succeed, and this is the common aspiration of our people, especially those in the Gaza Strip. They are suffering from woes, mass killings, the widespread famine in the Gaza Strip. Everyone is eagerly hoping for an early end to this catastrophic situation," said Al-Zaq.
Hamas, Palestinian factions to hold meeting in Cairo to discuss permanent ceasefire
