Crucial Meeting in Turkey Between Hamas and Mediators to Save Phase Two Negotiations

Attention is focused on the Turkish capital, which is hosting a fateful meeting bringing together representatives of the Hamas leadership council with mediators from the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Qatar. This intensive diplomatic meeting aims to propose new formulas for implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, amidst a phase described by observers as the most complex since the start of negotiations due to fundamental differences over the mechanisms for transitioning to sustainable security and political arrangements.

Sources reported that Cairo has presented initiatives aimed at rebuilding trust between the parties, including the necessity of committing to the daily entry of 600 humanitarian aid trucks into all areas of the Strip, along with a comprehensive cessation of military operations and assassinations. The sources clarified that the terms of the second phase are based on the complete withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza, but Tel Aviv's condition of 'disarmament' before implementation has hindered efforts, especially after the occupation rejected three previous proposals submitted to facilitate the transition between the phases of the agreement.

A high-level delegation from the Hamas leadership council, including Mohammed Darwish, Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin, Khaled Meshaal, and Hussam Awadallah, is participating in the Turkey consultations. Mediators link the possibility of achieving a real breakthrough in the crisis to the extent of progress in understandings between Washington and Tehran, as the US administration is expected to give a strong boost to the negotiations if outstanding regional issues are resolved, which could put decisive pressure on the occupation government to adhere to the terms of the first phase and effectively transition to the second phase to prevent the region from sliding into an all-out war.

The second phase stipulates the complete withdrawal of the occupation army from the Strip and the development of a plan to deal with security issues, but the occupation's intransigence is impeding implementation.