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Palestinian factions insist on reciprocal, comprehensive ceasefire with Israel

By Xinhua,

Cairo : Representatives of Palestinian factions on Tuesday asserted that they agree on a reciprocal and comprehensive ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Representatives of 12 Palestinian factions, including the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and the Popular Struggle Front (PSF), made the remarks on the sidelines of separate talks with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman earlier in the day.

Suleiman was expected to resume talks on Wednesday with them to hammer out a unified Palestinian stance on a proposed ceasefire with the Israelis, as well as to create a favorable climate for an inter-Palestinian dialogue.

Leading Palestinian factions of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, which belongs to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, did not attend the talks.

Hamas had proposed a six-month truce between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza, with an option to extend it to Palestinians in the West Bank.

Hamas on Monday briefed the Palestinian factions on its final response to the peace efforts, saying it will accept a truce deal that includes lifting the siege and halting of Israeli strikes for six months.

Hamas recently finished talks with Egyptian officials over a possible ceasefire deal with Israel, whose response is expected to come through Egyptian mediators.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah movement voiced his full support for the Egyptian mediation efforts during a short visit to Egypt on Monday.