Haniyeh: Gaza will not separate

The prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, received the Egyptian parliamentary delegation that arrived in Gaza on Thursday in a mission investigate the recent crises related to living conditions in the Strip. Haniyeh expressed "his government's gratitude for the Egyptian role in helping solve major Palestinian issues like the reconciliation, the Gaza blockade and Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons" saying that "the people of Gaza are relying on Egyptian efforts to put an end to their sufferings". "The Palestinian cause is strongly associated with its Arab and Islamic background, so the Palestinians are pinning their hopes on the new developments witnessed in Egypt and the entire Arab world due to the Arab Spring," said the leader. "Gaza can't be separated from the Palestinian territories, as we will not let that happen. We understand the worries of some Egyptian fronts towards this issue, but we can ensure that Egypt's national security is also a Palestinian priority which we will do everything possible to protect," insisted Haniyeh. Meanwhile, the head of the Egyptian delegation to Gaza, MP Mohammed al-Said Idrees said he hoped their next visit would be to Jerusalem. Idrees said: "We are here today to declare the end of Gaza's blockade, as Egypt will never remain a partner in applying it after the January 25 revolution. He added: "The Egyptian revolution was intended to liberate the whole Arab nation, so the Israeli occupation will never be a friend or a partner to Egypt." "Sinai will not have lax security, but it will be a shelter for the whole Arab nation". The Egyptian delegation decided to stay in Gaza for Friday to participate in the Land Day protests.