The Islamist Hamas organization announced it is awaiting a reply from Israel to its series of so-called “humanitarian demands” that is expected to be conveyed by an Egyptian security delegation that is scheduled to return to the Palestinian enclave during the next several days. In a written press release, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau said that the group’s leadership would consider Israel’s” reply to its conditions to reach a ceasefire agreement.”
According to the statement, “Hamas assured the Egyptian delegation that it would hold firm to several humanitarian demands,” including the immediate “lifting of the (Israeli) siege on Gaza, expanding fishing zone(s) off the coastal enclave, solving the electricity crisis and the public servants issue, and alleviating poverty in the impoverished territory.”
The internationally recognized terror group Hamas further vowed in its statement that “The Palestinian people will abide by the ceasefire (arrangement) once (Israel) adheres to (the) Egypt-brokered understandings.” While the Islamist Hamas organization, which controls the Gaza Strip, openly declares its demands from Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept his position secret, to the extent that even the security cabinet has not been convened on the matter and is not privy to the details.
A senior official told TV7 that “the Prime Minister has decided to keep the security cabinet in the dark on all issues pertaining to the Gaza Strip because of the political sensitivity attached to the matter, especially with 28 days remaining ahead of the upcoming national elections.” The official explained that “dealing with a terror organization, even by means of third-party mediation, is never popular. If the details of the negotiations would be unveiled, a public uproar may hinder Netanyahu’s chances of re-election.”