By Xinhua,
GAZA : Islamic Hamas movement on Monday night held a meeting with leaders of 13 different Palestinian factions and militant groups in Gaza City to brief them on the details of an expected truce deal with Israel.
Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader told reporters that “the meeting focused on keeping the interest of the Palestinians by reaching an honorable tahde’aa (truce) that ends the Israel siege and reopens the crossings, including Rafah crossing.”
Radwan said “there has been a positive progress related to an Egyptian-brokered truce agreement between Hamas and the Palestinian factions and Israel.”
However, “the final announcement is still linked to the clarifications and the guarantees that Hamas wants in order to keep the crossings, including Rafah crossing opened and end the military aggression on the Gaza Strip,” he added.
A Hamas delegation, headed by Gaza-based top Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar, has arrived in Cairo on Monday from Damascus following consultations with the leadership based in Syria.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has earlier stated that a long-term truce between Israel and the Hamas movement is expected to be reached within one week. Mubarak’s statement was an indication that the truce will be announced soon.
Earlier on Monday, senior Hamas leader based in Damascus Mohamed Nazal announced that his movement accepted a one-and-a-half-year truce with Israel via Egypt’s mediation.
“Israel had drawn back some of its demands concerning the Tahde’aa,” said Radwan, who refused to say in details what are these demands.