Hamas in first Syria visit in decade as relations thaw

After years of mutual accusations of betrayal, the terror group land in Damascus on a two-day visit in efforts to normalize ties in wake of 'rapid regional and international developments'

NEWSRAEL Editor 17:00 19.10.2022 a year ago

A Hamas delegation arrived in Damascus Wednesday for talks with President Bashar Al-Assad in the first such visit since the Palestinian Islamist group severed ties with Syria a decade ago.

The visit by the Hamas delegation, headed by Arab relations chief Khalil al-Hayya, comes after the Islamist group signed a reconciliation deal with its Palestinian rival Fatah in Algiers last week, vowing to hold elections by next October in a bid to settle a 15-year rift.

A senior Hamas source said that the thaw between Hamas and Damascus was brokered by Tehran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.