Senior leaders of the Hamas terror group are preparing a "safe exit" from the Gaza Strip, sources within the terror group revealed to Saudi outlet Asharq al-Awsat on Tuesday.
This comes after the US announced the start of Phase II of US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, which calls for establishing a technocratic government to administer the Strip.
Several "prominent political and military leaders who survived the war" are preparing to leave, three Hamas sources told the outlet.
One of the sources claimed that the departure would be "voluntary and carried out under specific arrangements, with full coordination with Hamas leadership abroad," the outlet reported.
Another stated that other leadership, particularly "military figures, categorically reject leaving Gaza under any circumstances."
This reaffirms previous statements by terror leader Khaled Mashaal, who stated in December that the terror group will not disarm, give up administrative control in the Strip, or permit the International Stabilization Force to take military oversight of the area.
The same sources also claimed that several of the Hamas prisoners released in exchange for IDF soldier Gilad Schalit in 2011, and who now oversee "key portfolios" within the terror group, are expected to travel to Turkey. However, the outlet spoke to a "senior Hamas leader based outside Gaza" who denied these reports.
Other sources have commented that some of the terror leaders would "leave temporarily to hold meetings in Egypt with security officials on critical issues related to Gaza's governmental security forces and other key files, before returning to the Gaza Strip," the outlet noted.
Netanyahu vows against Turkish, Qatari role in Gaza
Sources who spoke with Asharq al-Awsat believe it is likely that Hamas officials will go to either Qatar or Turkey. Both of these countries have been asked to join Trump's Board of Peace. Netanyahu "vowed" that no Turkish or Qatari soldiers would be present in Gaza, stating that there has been a "certain dispute" with the US over the issue.
Keshet Neev contributed to this report.