GAZA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian factions are holding consultations with Egyptian mediators on Wednesday regarding the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to administer the Gaza Strip, as a prelude to entering the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, a Palestinian source said.
The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Xinhua that meetings between Palestinian factions and Egyptian officials will be held on Wednesday and Thursday with the aim of reaching agreement on the names, tasks and mandates of the members of the committee, which is expected to include about 15 figures from the Gaza Strip with administrative and technical expertise.
The source added that the committee will be responsible for managing daily affairs in the enclave and creating the necessary conditions for launching the reconstruction process.
He noted that some names are currently under discussion, while others are undergoing review "by Israel and the United States for approval."
The source said the names of the committee members are expected to be announced soon, paving the way for the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
A senior Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, the movement's leader in the Gaza Strip.
The developments come amid disagreements within Palestine over the mechanism for forming the committee. Fatah has announced that neither it nor the Palestinian Authority sent a delegation to Egypt to meet with Hamas.
Fatah has stipulated a clear declaration from Hamas and its allied factions rejecting the establishment of a technocratic committee operating outside the authority of the Palestinian Authority, stressing its opposition to the continuation of political division with separate administrations in Gaza and the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that the movement had presented "positive and advanced positions" during the ongoing talks on forming the committee, stressing its readiness to hand over civil administration in the Gaza Strip to the committee once it is formed. ■
