Building destroyed in IAF air strike in Gaza
Building destroyed in IAF air strike in GazaReuters

Senior Egyptian officials said on Tuesday that an Egyptian security delegation from the General Intelligence Service would arrive in Israel on Thursday.

The delegation will include Major General Ayman Badia and Major General Ahmed Abdel Khalek, who is in charge of Palestinian affairs in Egyptian intelligence.

According to a report in the Al-Arabi Al-Jadid newspaper, the Egyptian delegation will discuss while in Israel the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip in order to establish the ceasefire, and then continue for talks in Ramallah and in Gaza.

The report also said that Egypt had received messages from Hamas about the movement's willingness to continue the calm and avoid escalation, and about its efforts to prevent rocket fire into Israel by extremist elements.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Monday that in the second stage of the ceasefire and, following Qatar's financial aid, it is expected that there will be more support for poor families, improvement of electricity and water supplies, exports and imports, and projects for the employment of graduates of academic institutions.

He made clear that ending the siege on the Gaza Strip is a strategic goal for Hamas, which will continue the resistance with all the other organizations in order to realize this goal.

Earlier this week, the deputy Qatari ambassador to Gaza entered the enclave with the $25 million grant that Qatar provides to Gaza every month. $10 million of this amount will be transferred to Israel for the purchase of fuel for the Gaza power plant, and $10 million is earmarked for families in distress.

The Qatari financial assistance is also expected to help finance the laying of a water pipe by the Mekorot company to improve the supply of water to the Gaza Strip.