Hamas offers 6-month truce in Gaza, Israeli occupation government rejects it right away

Israeli occupation government rejects Hamas's truce offer

[ 25/04/2008 - 10:58 AM ]

CAIRO, GAZA, (PIC)--

Hamas has submitted to the Egyptian government on Thursday its proposal for a six-month period of calm (truce) in the Gaza Strip which can later be extended to the West Bank.

Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, speaking in a press conference he held on Thursday in Cairo said that Hamas has agreed to give a six-month period of calm with the Israeli occupation government provided that the it reciprocates at the same time and lifts the siege on Gaza.

He added that the movement stressed that in case the Israelis did not agree to the proposal that Egypt opens the Rafah crossing.

According to the proposal Egypt will mediate the calm between the various Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation government.

Dr. Zahar also stressed that the ball is in the Israeli occupation government's court and that if these efforts to achieve calm and end the siege on the Gaza Strip Palestinians will have no option but to defend themselves.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, the Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip said in an exclusive statement to PIC on Friday the movement will not pay any attention to statements made by Israeli officials that Hamas was not serious about a truce because the whole process is being carried out through Egypt and that if the Israeli occupation government decides to disregard all the efforts being made in Cairo, it will be responsible for the consequences.

Abu Zuhri also stressed that all options are open to the Palestinian people to break the siege and defend themselves.

Israel rejects Hamas offer for truce

Friday April 25, 2008 12:19 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israel officially rejected on Friday an offer made by the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, for a six- month truce in the Gaza Strip. Israeli leaders said that the call is a “hoax which aims at allowing resistance fighters to rearm and recover from recent fighting with Israel”.

David Baker, the spokesperson of the Israeli government, said on Friday that Hamas wants to gain time in order to rearm and regroup.

Baker also said that Israel will do whatever it needs “to protect its citizens”, a statement which refers to the ongoing Israel attacks and air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas movement extended the truce offer on Thursday following talks with Egyptian mediators. The movement said that this truce should be mutual and that all hostilities should be stopped.

Hamas also conditioned the truce with lifting the embargo imposed on the Gaza Strip. The offer also called for extending the truce to the West Bank in a later stage.

Al-Zahar: Hamas accepts six-month ceasefire in Gaza

Date: 25 / 04 / 2008 Time: 13:10
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar Hamas said that Hamas is prepared to accept a temporary ceasefire with Israel lasting six months, to begin in the Gaza Strip. The deal would then extend to the West Bank under Egyptian mediation. Israel had refused Hamas' demands that the cease-fire apply simultaneously throughout the Palestinian territories.

Al-Zahar told a press conference in Egypt that a Hamas delegation had informed Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Sulaiman, that the ceasefire must be reciprocal and Israel must lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip and re-open all crossing points, including the Rafah crossing point into Egypt. But if Israel rejects the ceasefire, Egypt will re-open the Rafah crossing point.

"Omar Sulaiman, the Egyptian intelligence chief, will invite whichever Palestinian factions Egypt sees fit to the country next Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the Hamas proposals and then when the Palestinian factions have agreed to the terms of the ceasefire, Sulaiman will contact the Israeli side to ensure that they are committed to the ceasefire and fix a starting time," Al-Zahar told reporters.

"Egypt has promised to start immediate contact with the Israeli side to prepare the ground for the ceasefire and to provide basic needs to the Gaza Strip, especially fuel. In addition, Egypt will contact Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to make sure his rival Fatah faction does not obstruct the opening of the crossing points," Zahar added.

Al-Zahar concluded by saying the ball is now in Israel's court. If they do not meet their obligations under the ceasefire by stopping attacks and ending the Gaza blockade, then the Palestinians have the legitimate right to defend themselves.

Zahar: “Hamas accepts a six-month bilateral truce”

Friday April 25, 2008 00:38 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Hamas political leader, Mahmoud Zahar, stated on Thursday that the movement accepts a truce in Gaza under a national agreement, and added that this truce should be extended later on to the West Bank.

Mahmoud Zahar

Zahar added that during the truce period of six months, Egypt will be mediating to extend the truce to the West Bank.

The Hamas leader said, in a press conference after he concluded a visit to Egypt, that Hamas delegates met with the Egyptian security chief, Omar Suleiman, and agreed with him on the truce as long as it is bilateral with Israel.

He said that Egypt will be opening the Rafah border terminal even if Israel withdraws from the truce deal.

Zahar stated that Hamas demanded Egypt to supervise a truce deal with all factions, and that this deal will be declared as part of national conciliation.

Furthermore, Zahar said that he agreed with Suleiman to call on all factions to convene next Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss a proposed deal by Hamas. If all factions agree to the proposed truce deal, Suleiman will contact the Israeli side to guarantee Israel’s commitment to the truce and to set a start date.

“Egypt promised to contact Israel soon in order to prepare the atmosphere for the truce and to provide the residents of Gaza with their basic humanitarian needs, including fuel”, Zahar said.

Egypt will also be holding talks regarding those issues with the Palestinian president.

“Now the ball is in Israel’s court, if they are not committed to the truce, and to our right to live in dignity like all other nations, if they do not stop the siege and stop the attacks, then we will maintain our right in defending ourselves”, Zahar concluded.

Several other Palestinian groups gave their preliminarily agreement to the offer, Zahar stated.

Also, Prime Minister of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, said that Hamas is willing to offer Israel an extended truce (hudna), adding that Israel should in return withdraw to the 1967 borders, accept the establishment of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital, and recognize the Right Of Return of the Palestinian refugees.

The movement did not offer a recognition of Israel saying that it cannot recognize an entity which still occupies the Palestinian people.

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