A Hamas delegation headed by Ismail Haniyeh, the terrorist organization's political bureau chief, is expected to arrive in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday, where they will meet with senior Egyptian intelligence officials, state-run Turkish news outlet Anadolu Agency reported Saturday. The sides were likely to discuss a prisoner exchange deal with Israel, after Hamas has considerably softened its position on the matter in recent days.
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Meanwhile, Haniyeh spoke on the phone over the weekend with the Taliban's foreign minister in Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and reportedly told him that the "Taliban's victory over the American occupation forces in Afghanistan prove the Islamic nation's ability to liberate its homelands from invading forces, similar to what we [the Palestinians] are working toward to liberate Jerusalem from the hands of the Israeli occupation."
The Hamas leader added: "We expect the Taliban to play a supportive role to their brothers in Palestine in the struggle for Jerusalem's liberation. I commend the Taliban leadership and the Afghani people for their glorious victory. I am grateful for your efforts to integrate all Muslim ethnic groups into the government and the various governmental institutions."
According to Haniyeh, "It's important that Palestine be a central issue in speeches by the Afghani foreign ministry, in particular, Jerusalem and the crimes taking place there. The resistance axis is happy for the victory in [the latest Gaza war with Israel] and the liberation of Afghanistan. I wish Afghanistan unity, strength and prosperity."
Muttaqi, for his part, responded by saying: "Afghanistan now has an Islamic government after many long years. We are proud of the jihad waged by the Palestinian people residing in Jerusalem and its environs."
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