Iranian FM meets Hamas, Islamic Jihad leaders in Beirut to discuss Gaza humanitarian pause

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) - Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, on his visit to Beirut on Wednesday, met and held talks with senior leaders of Palestinian resistance groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The meetings came hours after a four-day humanitarian pause, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, was confirmed by both Hamas and Israel after 46 days of indiscriminate attacks in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Amir-Abdollahian met Secretary-General of Islamic Jihad Ziyad Nakhaleh and deputy chief of Hamas Khalil al-Hayya, and discussed the developments in Gaza and the deal.

Upon his arrival in the Lebanese capital, he said the six weeks of resistance by Palestinian groups proved that “time is not on the side of Israel.”

The future of Gaza and the future of Palestine, he emphasized, will be determined by Palestinians themselves, dismissing the speculation that Hamas will be eliminated from the territory.

Amir-Abdollahian said he was in Beirut to consult with high-level Lebanese officials on “how to maximize security in the region and how to restore Palestinian rights.”

He also held meetings with Najib Mikati, the prime minister of Lebanon, and Nabih Berri, speaker of the Lebanese parliament.

The agreement was announced in the wee hours of Wednesday, which will see Israel releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners, allowing the entry of aid convoys and halting its attacks.

Hamas will also release 50 Israeli hostages taken captive during the Oct. 7 surprise offensive.

The deal is subject to extension if both sides agree to release more prisoners.

The death toll in the coastal territory has already crossed 14,500, most of them children and women, with more than 33,000 others injured.

The crippling siege has spawned the worst humanitarian crisis, putting at risk thousands of lives, especially in hospitals that have run out of fuel in recent weeks. ​​​​​​​