Al-Nounou: Hamas to go to Cairo, demands release of detained fighters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
27 Jul 2023 00:08

Media advisor for Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh ,Taher Al-Nounou, assures in an interview with Al Mayadeen that Hamas will participate in the Cairo meeting.

The media advisor to the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Taher Al-Nounou.

The media advisor to the head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Taher Al-Nounou, confirmed to Al Mayadeen in an interview, that Hamas will participate in the Cairo meeting, despite insisting that "Hamas completely refuses political arrests and demands the release of political detainees in West Bank."

Regarding the meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the head of the Hamas movement's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in Ankara, Al-Nounou said, the meeting discussed ways to "overcome differences and consolidate comprehensive resistance."

He added that Abbas and Haniyeh's meeting "discussed ways to confront the occupation's plans and those of the Israeli extremist government," adding that "this meeting is a prelude to the meeting of the secretaries-general in Cairo in a few days."

Likewise, Al-Nounou pointed out during the interview, that "the issue of the Gaza gas and the Marine field was not included in the discussion at the Haniyeh and Abbas meeting in Ankara."

Al-Nounou also underscored that "the leadership of Hamas met with Saudi officials during the visit of members of the political bureau to perform the rituals of Umrah and Hajj."

Regarding commando operations in the West Bank, Al-Nounou said, "The resistance in the West Bank is a volcano erupting in occupation's face, and what we wish is for the Resistance to become a daily occurrence through fedai operations."

PFLP-GC will boycott Cairo meeting even if PIJ does so

The Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC), Talal Naji, affirmed to Al Mayadeen earlier on Wednesday that "the Front is against all arrests by the Palestinian Authority (PA)."

Naji added, "We want the release of all detainees held by the Authority, but we requested the release of some before going to Cairo," the SG of the PFLP-GC said in reference to an upcoming meeting of Palestinian secretaries-general in Cairo, Egypt, which sources of Al Mayadeen say will take place on Sunday.

He also stressed that the movement's decision to participate in the meeting is contingent on the participation of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), whose Deputy Secretary-General told Al Mayadeen on Tuesday that the Resistance group will boycott the meeting unless Resistance fighters arbitrarily detained by the PA on political charges are released.

Naji also said that leaders in the Fatah movement made a promise to communicate the issue of the detained fighters to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, in hopes of resolving the predicament.

Finally, the head of the PFLP-GC revealed that responses from those who spoke with Abbas on the matter said that the President wants to wait a bit on the matter, as Naji urged him to meet the demands of Resistance groups and release the detainees to ensure the success of the meeting in Cairo.