By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli and Egyptian officials will resume negotiations on Sunday regarding Cairo’s proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, local daily Ha’aretz reported on its website.
Major General Amos Gilad, head of Israeli defense establishment’ s political-security branch, is slated to arrive in Egypt on Sunday for talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, according to Ha’aretz.
Despite the efforts, Israel has learned in recent days that the Palestinian factions, including Hamas, have rejected the truce proposals put forth by the Jewish state.
Hamas is prepared to accept Israel’s demand that the ceasefire begins first in Gaza, and then in the West Bank, but opposes accelerating the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit — who has been held hostage by Hamas for about two years –as part of the deal.
Israel wants to link Shalit’s release with the opening of the Rafah crossing and implementation of the truce, but Hamas insists that these carry separate price tags.
Hamas political bureau chief, Khaled Meshal, said Saturday while in Tehran “if the international community does not initiate step toward breaking the (economic) blockade, we’ll break it ourselves. We insist the (border) crossings be opened, especially the Rafah crossing.”
Israel would agree to opening the crossings for commercial cargo only after the ceasefire has stood the test of time – and apparently only after progress has been made on Shalit’s release.
Hamas said Saturday that Israel’s responses to an Egyptian offer for a ceasefire deal in Gaza were not encouraging.
Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said the efforts to realize a lull collided with Israeli obstacles, adding, “The Israeli occupation wants a free calmness, which does not include opening the crossings and breaking the siege.”
“We have emphasized that any lull must secure the lifting of the siege and the reopening of all crossings, especially the Rafah border crossing,” Radwan said.