Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Monday for a crucial meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The primary focus of their discussions will be coordinating efforts regarding the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, according to the Arab World News Agency.
Mahmoud Al-Habash, an advisor to President Abbas, emphasized that the central theme of the meeting will be to halt the aggression against Gaza. “Our priority is to cease the aggression, ensure the well-being of our people in Gaza, and prevent Israel’s alleged conspiracy to facilitate displacement,” Al-Habash stated.
Furthermore, Al-Habash clarified that any discussions about post-war strategies would not be part of the meeting agenda between Abbas and Sisi, suggesting that such conversations are premature at this stage.
In a related context, Egyptian sources informed Al-Sharq newspaper that Egypt intends to present its vision for Gaza’s future to Abbas, hoping that the Palestinian side will align with its perspective on the territory’s future.
The sources revealed that Egypt plans to offer a comprehensive vision to the United States, emphasizing the necessity of granting exclusive administrative control of the Gaza Strip to Palestinians.
The Cairo administration reportedly rejects any Israeli plans aimed at managing Gaza or reinstating settlements within the territory.
Meanwhile, senior Fatah official Munir Al-Jaghoub announced via his “X” platform account that the Palestinian delegation accompanying Abbas will include Hussein Al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Major General Majed Faraj, head of the General Intelligence Service, and several presidential advisors.
This visit coincides with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Middle East tour aimed at addressing the Israeli conflict in Gaza and preventing further escalation in the region.
Blinken’s itinerary includes visits to Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Egypt, extending until January 11.
