Hamas agrees to committee to manage Gaza – without its direct involvement

Author: Published: March 4, 2025

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem says that the organization agrees to the establishment of a local management committee for the Gaza Strip, in which it will not be a member.

Dalit Halevi

 

Hamas terrorists

Hamas terroristsAli Hassan/Flash 90

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem announced on Monday that the organization agrees to the establishment of a local management committee for the Gaza Strip, in which Hamas will not have a direct role.

The comment comes in response to a proposal put forward by Egypt aimed at addressing Israel’s demand to remove Hamas from power and to provide a basis for an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to manage the Strip through professionals and experts.

“We do not want to be part of the administrative arrangements in the Gaza Strip as long as this is done with national consensus,” said Qassem, adding that Hamas has no interest in being an obstacle to the possibility of rehabilitating the Gaza Strip.

According to Qassem, there is a possibility of reaching a national consensus on the establishment of the local committee to manage the Gaza Strip with Arab support.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in this context that the weapons of the terrorist organizations are a red line and are not up for discussion or negotiation. Abu Zuhri emphasized that Hamas will never agree to condition the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip and the delivery of aid on relinquishing its weapons.

Abu Zuhri further noted that Israel will not be able to retrieve the hostages still held by Hamas except through an exchange deal, as Hamas will not respond to pressures or dictates.

Hamas seeks international assistance against Israel’s plans

Author: Published: March 4, 2025

Hamas calls on Arab and Islamic countries, the United Nations, and the international community to act urgently to force Israel to immediately allow aid into Gaza.

Dalit Halevi

 

Hamas takes over humanitarian aid

Hamas takes over humanitarian aidAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Hamas on Monday sharply condemned the closure of the border crossings to the Gaza Strip for the entry of goods and humanitarian aid, describing it as “a crime of collective punishment against innocent civilians” and a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”

A statement published by the terrorist organization claimed that “preventing the arrival of food, medicine, and basic needs is a clear war crime, a pathetic attempt to strangle our steadfast people, and to impose a catastrophic reality on more than two million Palestinians, in blatant defiance of all human values and international laws.”

The Hamas statement further claimed that the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to whom it referred as a “war criminal,” to prevent aid from entering the Strip reflects a disregard for law and international agreements, as well as a lack of concern for the consequences of “his crimes,” while exploiting the full support of the American administration.

Hamas called on Arab and Islamic countries, the UN, and the international community to act urgently to lift the restrictions and allow immediate aid into the Strip.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Arab countries convened for a closed session in Cairo on Monday, in preparation for an Arab summit scheduled for Tuesday.

At the summit, the ministers are expected to discuss the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, with one of the anticipated decisions being the rejection of a plan attributed to US President Donald Trump, which proposes the relocation of residents of Gaza during the reconstruction period.

Israel considering cutting electricity to Gaza, evacuating Gazans, resuming war – report

Author: Published: March 3, 2025
Israeli government mulling plans to pressure Hamas to resume hostage releases, including cutting electricity transfers to the Gaza Strip, resuming war on Hamas, and evacuating Gazans from the northern Gaza Strip.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israel’s government is considering a number of measures to pressure Hamas into releasing additional hostages, the Israeli national broadcaster Kan reported Sunday night, after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas lapsed over the weekend.

On Sunday, the first phase of the January 19th ceasefire ended, with no agreement on either a continuation of the existing hostages-for-truce arrangement or implementation of the second phase of the hostage deal.

While Israel embraced an American proposal to extend the truce through the Ramadan and Passover holidays, ending on April 19th, in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages in two transfers, Hamas has insisted Israel negotiate the full withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Sunday that the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip be halted until Hamas agrees to resume the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Later that day, Israeli media outlets reported that Jerusalem has drafted a plan to pressure Hamas into resuming the hostage releases.

  WATCH: Gaza terrorists release propaganda video of hostage transfer

According to Channel 14, Energy Minister Eli Cohen (Likud) is set to formally propose to the Israeli cabinet that Israel cut off Gaza from Israel’s electric grid.

Following the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7th, Israel cut Gaza off from its electric grid, leaving the coastal enclave reliant on electric generators, leading to rolling blackouts.

Last July, however, Israel resumed the transfer of electricity to parts of the Gaza Strip, powering a number of public facilities, including water treatment plants and desalination operations.

Should Israel adopt Cohen’s plan, it could potentially leave Gaza with total blackouts, once the current supply of fuel has been exhausted.

Kan reported that in addition to cutting off Gaza from the electric grid, Jerusalem is considering evacuating the northern Gaza Strip once again, sealing off the area and relocating residents to the Khan Yunis and Rafah districts.

Furthermore, Israel is mulling resuming hostilities in the Gaza Strip within a week, including the use of heavy air munitions barred by the Biden administration.

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