Hamas Rejects Fatah Claims on Truce with Israeli Regime

In a recent press release, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem accused Fatah of manipulating the public opinion through fabricating such speculations, the Palestinian Information Center reported on Monday.

He said such claims were meant to cover up Fatah’s scandals, especially its security cooperation with the Israeli regime and the issue of sanctions imposed by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Qasem also stated that making such claims amounted to “a failed attempt” by Fatah to divert attention from the issue of elections and national reconciliation.

Hamas has already denied recent Israeli media reports claiming that the resistance movement is engaged in discussions with the Tel Aviv regime on a long-term ceasefire agreement, whether in the occupied West Bank or in Gaza.

On the media reports circulated late December, Abdul Latif al-Qanoua, another Hamas spokesman, had dismissed the “baseless” narrative.

“The talk was only about confirming previous understandings related to ending the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and nothing more,” the spokesman said at the time.

Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations have been leading consultations for several months to reach a truce between the Palestinian factions and Israel in exchange for stopping protests in Gaza organized by Palestinians near the fence separating the Occupied Territories.

In November 2019, Ismail Haniyeh, the political bureau chief of Hamas, highlighted the necessity of the upcoming general elections in Gaza, East Jerusalem al-Quds, and the West Bank.

“The upcoming elections could push Palestinians out of the current deadlock and restore unity and strengthen the resistance front against the occupation,” Haniyeh said,

Elsewhere in his remarks, Haniyeh pointed out that the outcome of the elections must be respected since the 2006 elections were marred by domestic and foreign opposition.

General elections in Palestine include presidential election, after which the head of the Palestinian Authority is elected.

​​​​​​The office is currently held by President Mahmoud Abbas. The polls also include parliamentary elections or the Legislative Council elections.

No fixed date for the general elections has been announced yet.

Haniyeh had earlier warned that Israel favored rifts among Palestinian resistance groups to distract them from their high priorities.