Haneyya: Initiatives to open Rafah crossing are welcome

Deputy head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haneyya, said Wednesday the group welcomes any initiative to open the Rafah border crossing on the basis of a real partnership.

Hamas has not yet received any official initiative to open the Rafah crossing, Haneyya told reporters during a follow-up tour in Gaza’s Shifa medical complex.

“We are ready to deal positively with any initiative or proposal to unblock the Rafah crossing and grant free movement,” he said.

Haneyya urged all international and humanitarian institutions to seriously step in and provide support for Gaza’s health sector and help reconstructing the Shifa hospital, particularly the maternity ward.

He attributed the deterioration in the childbirth services at the Shifa complex to the tough Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, saying: “It is high time the plague of the siege got worked out.”

Haneyya called on the unity government to take up its responsibilities as regards Gaza’s health sector and medical staff.

Qatari ambassador, Muhamad al-Imadi, is, meanwhile, expected to pop in Gaza Strip to keep tabs on the current state of affairs, a few days after the Health Ministry evacuated the maternity ward in the Shifa complex due to the collapse of its roofs.

According to Haneyya, Hamas will update the Qatari envoy on the tragic situation rocking Gaza’s health sector and the reconstruction process.