The Islamic Resistance Movement a.k.a. Hamas on Sunday announced the dissolution of its Administrative Committee that has been ruling the Gaza Strip, and called for a reconciliation government to carry out its duties in the strip, to hold elections and enter talks with the PLO, Ma’an reported.
The Hamas movement said in a press statement that the announcement comes in response to the Egyptian efforts, led by the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, out of an Egyptian concern for achieving Palestinian reconciliation and ending the division.
The statement added that this comes in order to achieve the hope of the Palestinian people, to achieve national unity, and indicated Hamas’ for the general elections.
Hamas also expressed its readiness to meet the Egyptian call for dialogue with the PLO on the mechanisms of implementation of the May 2012 Fatah–Hamas Cairo Agreement – signed by Fatah’s Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas’ leader Khaled Mashal, on the formation of an interim government in preparation for elections for a new Palestinian government. The agreement soon fell apart.
The Hamas capitulation follows months of repression on the part of the Palestinian Authority, which deprived the Gaza Strip of electric power. It also represents Hamas’ aspiration to get a seat at the table should President Donald Trump’s efforts at restoring the “peace process” with Israel succeed. Another reason has been the isolation of Qatar—Hamas’ main supporter—in the Arab world.
Those reasons, coupled with an escalating sewage crisis that threatens the health of Gaza Strip residents and has ruined the Strip’s beaches is contaminating the strip’s beaches, and a crippling unemployment, have all contributed Hamas finally, maybe, crying Uncle.
Of course, very likely, since this is the Middle East, this, too, shall pass.