RAMALLAH, West Bank, 23 April 2008 — Hamas and Israeli officials yesterday denied reports in the Arab press that the two sides reached a cease-fire agreement through Egypt in which the blockade on the Gaza Strip would be lifted and Palestinian rocket attacks against Israeli targets halted.
The Hamas’ spokesman, Ismail Radwan, said that “the report is inaccurate; Hamas still waits for an answer (from Israel) to a truce offer presented earlier (by Egypt) to the movement.”
Earlier yesterday, the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram had claimed that Egypt and Hamas have brokered a cease-fire agreement and that Egyptian Intelligence chief Gen. Omar Suleiman is expected to visit Israel in the very near future to receive its approval for the agreement.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Al-Rai Al-Aam newspaper quoted high-ranking Egyptian sources as saying the cease-fire agreement was still in the works, adding that Egypt now awaits the final decision of Hamas leaders, which are conferring on the matter in Damascus.
Should Hamas give Egypt the clear answers it awaits, Suleiman will venture to Israel to secure the necessary guarantees to implement the agreement.
The said interim principles “aim to ensure a cease-fire of all Hamas actions in exchange for Israel lifting the Gaza siege. The matter of prisoners exchange is expected to be postponed to a later date; but Israel still has a few more preconditions such as ceasing all smugglings and weapon developments by Hamas during the lull.”
Al-Rai Al-Aam further quoted the Egyptian sources as saying that Hamas “has distinguished the West Bank from the Gaza Strip as far as the lull is concerned, so if any clashes erupt between IDF forces and Hamas operatives in the West Bank, it will not affect the Strip — thus ensuring the area will not be put under a blockade.”
