Hamas postpones political bureau elections amid security constraints, divisions, ceasefire talks
Discussions over members for future Gaza administrative committee continue
The pro-Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Monday, citing senior Hamas sources, that the organization has decided to postpone the elections for the head of its political bureau, which were scheduled for the first ten days of January.
One of the sources attributed the delay to “security and political circumstances and the organization’s current preoccupation with negotiations over the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire.”
Additional sources clarified that the elections were postponed for other reasons as well, including disagreements that have intensified in recent days regarding arrangements taking place within the organization in the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian source in Ramallah told the newspaper that changes to the names of members of the Gaza Strip’s administrative committee are expected to be announced at the upcoming meeting of the Palestinian factions in Cairo, within a day or two, noting that the name of Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan is currently not under consideration.
In a KAN News broadcast last week, it was reported that Hamas had planned to hold the elections in three arenas – Gaza, the West Bank and abroad – but not in prisons.
A Palestinian source familiar with the details said Hamas encountered difficulties in doing so due to restrictions and the tightening of conditions for prisoners in Israeli prisons, including the lack of telephone contact via smuggled mobile phones or the smuggling of letters from the prisons.
Shimon Migan is a correspondent for KAN 11 news.
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