Hamas made a breakthrough in its relationship with dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan after a delegation, led by Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, met with him during a nine-day visit to Cairo that began June 4.
Although the meetings were secret, Samir Masharawi, a close associate of Dahlan, revealed June 13 that the latter, along with Majed Abu Shamala and Suleiman Abu Mutlaq, leaders of the Fatah Democratic Reformist Current, held four meetings with the Hamas delegation in Egypt, without specifying the exact dates. They reportedly discussed the conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip that are deteriorating as a result of power cuts and the closure of the Rafah crossing, and tackled the reconstruction of Gaza.
On June 15, Rai al-Youm reported that Sinwar held four meetings with Dahlan in Cairo under the supervision of Egyptian intelligence chief Khaled Fawzy, noting that Sinwar was accompanied by Rawhi Mushtaha, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and Maj. Gen. Tawfiq Abu Naim, the head of the security forces in Gaza.
Hamas remained silent and neither confirmed nor denied meeting with Dahlan, which raised questions about its secrecy. Did Sinwar meet Dahlan personally, or were the meetings attended by lower-ranking officials from both sides? Have they reached any agreement?
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