GAZA strongman Mahmoud Zahar appeared in public yesterday for the first time since Israel launched its offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers six weeks ago.
As Israelis prepared for Tuesday's general election, Zahar led a Hamas delegation to a new round of cease-fire talks in Egypt.
Zahar had not appeared in public during the three-week offensive, and remained in hiding even after a tentative cease-f
ire took hold in mid-January, apparently amid concerns that Israel might try to kill him.
Hamas wants Israel and Egypt to lift their 20-month border blockade of Gaza, while Israel wants improved guarantees that Hamas will be prevented from smuggling weapons into Gaza.
Zahar and three other Hamas officials crossed from Gaza into Egypt yesterday, en route to Cairo. On the Egyptian side, Zahar briefly spoke to reporters, saying Hamas would be flexible about who will take charge of reconstruction. Thousands of homes and buildings were destroyed or damaged during the war, causing an estimated £1.35bn in damages.
Hamas initially insisted it should supervise the spending. However, international donors are reluctant to hand huge sums to the Islamic militants. "We are flexible on who should be in charge of rebuilding," Zahar said.
The Hamas delegation crossed a day after Israeli warplanes struck four smuggling tunnels and a weapons depot in the area of the Gaza-Egypt border, the Israeli military said. The airstrikes came in response to two rockets fired from Gaza on southern Israel.
In other developments, UN and Hamas officials met in Gaza late on Friday, after Hamas police seized 10 trucks with UN aid shipments, including rice and flour. In response, the UN suspended aid shipments. Earlier in the week, Hamas police had seized thousands of blankets and food parcels earmarked for UN distribution to needy residents.
The halt in aid shipments comes at an especially sensitive time. Some 80% of Gaza's 1.4 million people rely on the UN agency for food or other support. Their needs have increased after Israel's three-week military operation in the territory that killed hundreds of civilians and left thousands homeless.
Meanwhile, preparations were continuing yesterday for the Israeli vote. Politically disaffected and jittery over their security and economy, Israelis are expected to slip right-wards in the election, pitching US-backed peace efforts with the Palestinians into deeper uncertainty.
Surveys predict a narrow win in Tuesday's vote for hawkish ex-premier Benjamin Netanyahu, his comeback fuelled by the inconclusive wars in southern Lebanon and Gaza, formerly areas under Israel's control and now bastions of hostile Islamists.
Netanyahu has pledged to get tough on arch-foe Iran's nuclear plans. US President Barack Obama champions engagement in the Middle East over confrontation.
Even in beating his rivals, centrist Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and centre-left Defence Minister Ehud Barak – key players in the Gaza offensive in which 1,300 Palestinians died – Netanyahu would have to weigh bringing their Kadima and Labour parties into an alliance, securing his Likud a parliamentary majority.
But mindful of the infighting that dogged his 1996-1999 term as prime minister, Netanyahu has spoken favourably of a coalition government including ascendant ultranationalist parties.
