Gaza - Asharq Al-Awsat

Hamas political bureau member Khalil al-Hayya said that understandings with Israel will continue regardless of the stalled internal reconciliation negotiations.

“Understandings carried out by mediators with the Israeli occupation to ease and break the siege on Gaza Strip are still ongoing.”

“The occupation must realize that the understandings are still in place along with the Egyptian, Qatari and international sponsorship, albeit slowly, but we are following them, and we demand the occupation to commit by them," Hayya said.

He stressed that these understandings are not related to the reconciliation process, accusing the Fatah movement of attempting to link these the two issues together.

“It seems that (Fatah) does not like this, so it is trying to mix the papers and ignite the Palestinian situation again through the media, and we stress that we do not want media debates on ground.”

"If our brothers in Fatah are ready to reconcile according to what was signed, then we are ready,” he added.

“The reconciliation is a national necessity and we explained our position to our brothers in Egypt,” Hayya explained.

He said that his movement’s stance is represented by the need to reach national unity in accordance with the understandings, especially the 2011 agreement and the subsequent agreements.

“We can’t reach national unity and reconciliation while sanctions are still imposed on Gaza Strip."

“Egypt was informed about the position of all factions. They want to immediately form a government of national unity and a unifying national council and hold elections to decide what the Palestinian people want,” he noted.

In regards to Israel’s slow pace in easing the siege on Gaza, Hayya stated that it should be committed to the understandings reached with Cairo, Doha and the United Nations.

"Our marches will continue, and we control them until the siege ends forever on Gaza."

Hamas insists on forming a government of national unity and lifting the sanctions on Gaza. It requested the adoption of the 2011 agreement with regard to the security forces, stressing that this should not affect the factions’ possession of weapons.