Hamas Says Tony Blair Not Welcome In Gaza Following Ceasefire

Via Middle East Eye

Hamas has warned that Tony Blair would not be welcome in any role in governing Gaza following the commencement of a ceasefire in the enclave. Speaking to Sky News, senior Hamas official Basem Naim said he welcomed US President Donald Trump’s involvement in bringing about an end to the two-year war.

However, he said that there could be no role for the former British prime minister in the governance of Gaza, despite Trump’s previously announced support for Blair’s involvement. “When it comes to Tony Blair, unfortunately, we Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, and maybe others around the world have bad memories of him,” Naim said. “We can still remember his role in killing, causing thousands or millions of deaths to innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

As official envoy for the Middle East Quartet (US, Russia, European Union and UN) between 2007 and 2015, Blair was also previously tasked with attempting to bring about a solution to the Palestine-Israel question, something he was unable to achieve.

Last month, various media outlets reported that Blair was in discussions to lead a transitional authority in the Gaza Strip as part of a US-backed plan for post-war governance. The plan would establish a transitional authority in Gaza for up to five years, excluding both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Under the reported proposal, the authority would hold “supreme political and legal authority” over Gaza during the interim period. Hamas has rejected the involvement of Blair in governing Gaza, citing in part his previous failures in the region.

Thousands of Palestinians began returning to northern Gaza on Friday after a ceasefire took effect, following Israel and Hamas’s approval of a deal to “end the war” and exchange prisoners.

The Israeli military said the ceasefire officially began at 12pm local time (9am GMT) after the completion of its withdrawal to agreed-upon lines of the first phase. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. The Israeli government ratified the agreement on Friday morning, just hours after Hamas announced that a deal had been reached.

Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, on Thursday published a leaked copy of the agreement’s first phase signed in Egypt, which states that the war would “immediately end” once approved by Israel.

Trump is expected to visit Egypt over the weekend to attend an official signing ceremony, followed by a visit to Israel on Monday. 

On Thursday, Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya confirmed that the Palestinian movement had also approved the agreement to end the war. He added that the United States and other mediators had provided guarantees that the signing of the deal would mean the war “has ended indefinitely”.

However, Israeli air strikes, artillery fire and gunfire were reported in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday morning. No injuries were reported.

Israeli forces also carried out bombings in Gaza on Thursday, after mediators announced a deal had been reached, killing at least eight Palestinians.