Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniya returned to Gaza yesterday after five months abroad, an AFP reporter said, praising improving ties with neighbours Egypt.
Haniya, Gaza head of the movement, left in September to perform the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, returning via Gulf countries and Egypt, where he sought to mend frayed relations.
“The movement’s delegation completed a successful visit to Egypt,” a Hamas statement read, saying they had a series of “fruitful” meetings with Egyptian officials, including head of general intelligence Khaled Fawzy.
Upon his return home in the Shaati refugee camp west of Gaza city, Haniya told journalists the relationship with Egypt was improving. “(Hamas) will continue to develop this relationship and strengthen it,” he said.
It was Haniya’s first trip outside Gaza since the isolation and eventual overthrow of Mohamed Mursi, Egypt’s Islamist president and Hamas ally, in 2013.
Relations between Egypt and Hamas soured following Mursi’s overthrow and the subsequent election of former military leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.
Egypt’s army largely closed the border with Gaza after Sisi’s rise to power, destroying dozens of illegal trade tunnels.
However relations between the Palestinian faction and Sisi’s government have improved in the past year and the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is due to open today for a few days.
Hamas has run Gaza since 2007.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya is greeted by supporters upon his return to Gaza City yesterday, after performing the Haj pilgrimage.
