By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has said that the Islamic Palestinian organisation Hamas will declare its stance pertaining to the current Egyptian settlement efforts next week.
The Israeli Radio said Friday the head of the Security-Political Department of the Ministry of Defence, Amos Gilad, confirmed that Hamas intended to make a declaraton in this regard after a meeting with the chief of the Egyptian intelligence, Maj-Gen Omar Suleiman, late on Thrusday.
The radio said Gilad returned to Israel, late on Thursday, from Egypt where he discussed with the head of the Intelligence Department the truce question, in light of a debate in Israel on the wisdom of launching a wide-scale military operation in the Gaza against the Islamic movement, Hamas.
Gilad, during the meeting with Maj-Gen Suleiman, reaffirmed that Tel Aviv linked enforcement of a sustainable truce in the territories to a cessation of recurring missile attacks from the northern sector of the Strip against southern Israel and the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, the Israeli Radio said.
It added that the Tel Aviv government had tasked Gilad to notify the Egyptian side about the Israeli terms ahead of taking a final decision with regard to the military operation.
The radio said latest missile attacks overshadowed the meeting between the two sides, adding that Gilad pledged to reopen gateways around the territories as part of the prospected package deal.