Amjad Shawa, the head of a civil society network in Gaza, has been named by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority as the approved leader for the new technocratic board that will rule the Gaza Strip, Israel Public Broadcaster KAN News reported Sunday evening.
Shawa's approval occurred during a meeting last week between Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Egyptian intelligence in Cairo, according to KAN, though his official appointment depends on the United States.
"Amjad Shawa is pro-Hamas without being a Hamas man," Palestinian sources told KAN.
While Hamas selected half of the potential board members, the Palestinian Authority selected the other half. During the meeting in Cairo, however, KAN reported that Egypt presented the completed list to Hamas in order to "appease the organization."
Hamas refuses to disarm, continues to maintain control
Hamas intends to maintain security control in Gaza during an interim period, Mohammed Nazzal, a senior Hamas official, told Reuters, adding he could not commit to the group disarming.
Nazzal also said the group was ready for a ceasefire of up to five years to rebuild devastated Gaza, with guarantees for what happens afterwards depending on Palestinians being given "horizons and hope" for statehood.
Speaking to Reuters in an interview from Doha, where Hamas politicians have long resided, Nazzal defended the group's crackdown in Gaza, where it carried out public executions. There were always "exceptional measures" during war, and those executed were criminals guilty of killing, he said.
“Hamas has not changed its DNA; they do not intend to disarm themselves," said Kobi Michael, the former head of the Palestinian desk at the Strategic Affairs Ministry. "They do not intend to leave the Gaza Strip and not be part of the day after.”
Reuters contributed to this report.