Senior leaders of the Palestinian resistance movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad met in Cairo on Saturday, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening national unity and coordinating efforts to defend the Palestinian people, confront Israeli aggression, and advance the Palestinian cause.

According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, a high-level Hamas delegation headed by Zaher Jabarin, the movement's leader in the occupied West Bank, held talks with Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah. The discussions focused on the rapidly evolving situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and ways to enhance cooperation between the two movements.

The two sides stressed the importance of preserving a unified Palestinian national position in the face of Israel's ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip and its escalating policies in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.

They pledged to intensify joint action and coordination to safeguard the rights of the Palestinian people and continue efforts aimed at restoring their legitimate national rights, including freedom, self-determination, and an end to the Israeli occupation.

The Palestinian leaders also called on the international community to pressure Israel to immediately halt its military aggression against Gaza, fully withdraw its occupation forces from the enclave, and allow the implementation of urgent early recovery and reconstruction efforts following months of widespread destruction.

They emphasized the need to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services to Gaza's population, which continues to endure severe shortages of food, clean water, medicine, fuel, and shelter as a result of Israel's prolonged blockade and military campaign.

The meeting further called for the swift entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza into the Strip, urging that it be enabled to immediately assume its responsibilities in addressing the urgent humanitarian and administrative needs of the population.

The leaders also reviewed developments in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, warning of what they described as Israel's accelerating Judaization policies, expanding settlement activity, and repeated incursions into Palestinian cities and holy sites.

They expressed deep concern over the worsening conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, accusing Israeli authorities of subjecting detainees to systematic abuse, medical neglect, and punitive measures in violation of international humanitarian law.

The Cairo meeting comes at a time of intensified Israeli military operations across the occupied Palestinian territories and growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad reiterated that Palestinian unity remains essential in confronting the challenges facing the Palestinian people and achieving their national aspirations. (ILKHA)