“We have received many initiatives related to the (Palestinian) internal situation and we are open to the idea of a national government for the West Bank and Gaza,” he said in a televised address.
Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2006, when it won elections that were followed by violent clashes with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party.
Repeated attempts to reconcile the factions have failed, and Mr. Abbas’s popularity as head of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has plummeted.
In the nearly three-month war between Hamas and Israel, which has vowed to crush the group, the question of future governance of the Gaza Strip has repeatedly been raised.
The United States has emphasized the need for Palestinians to participate in the administration following the war, but the future role of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority remains unclear.
In Haniyeh’s speech, which was broadcast by Al Jazeera, the Hamas leader also talked regarding discussions regarding a second possible ceasefire.
On Tuesday, Haniyeh also said that the hostages kidnapped by Israel from the Gaza Strip would only be released under conditions set by Hamas.
“Enemy prisoners will be released only under the conditions set by the resistance,” Haniyeh said in a televised address.
On October 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. According to Jewish officials, regarding 1.2 thousand were killed. people, mostly civilians, and regarding 240 people were taken hostage.
During a brief truce at the end of November, some of these hostages were released, and Israel in turn returned dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
According to the health ministry of the Hamas-run enclave, more than 22,185 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the war in the Gaza Strip.
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2024-07-12 15:19:23