Hamas Agrees in Principle to Egypt Offer for Gaza Truce
Barak Ravid, Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz
Hamas has agreed in principle to the Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire but is still demanding clarifications on a number of issues, senior officials for the group said in Cairo on Wednesday.
Palestinian boys wait for food at a UN school. Reports indicate that Hamas has agreed in principle to the Egyptian proposal for peace. (Photo: Suhaib Salem / Reuters)
The Hamas announcement was followed by a further statement by group official Salah al-Bardawil that the group was working toward achieving the following goals: an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza; the lifting of the siege on Gaza; the reopening of Gaza's border crossings; the rehabilitation of the Strip; and a compensation for Gaza residents.
Bardawil said Hamas had generally accepted the terms of the Egyptian proposal but demanded clarifications on several clauses. He said that the Egypti
"We're not talking about amending the proposal, since it was presented by Egyptian President [Hosni] Mubarak, but this is a proposal that includes many phrases, and each side has the right to present its opinion and interpretation of these phrases. We have voiced our stance and our interests within the framework of this general outline and the guidelines anchored in the Egyptian proposal," Bardawil said.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmet Aboul Gheit said Monday evening that Hamas had accepted the Egyptian draft, which calls for immediate end to aggression on Gaza, the opening of the border crossings and the withdrawal of Israeli forces inside the Strip. He said that Hamas representatives presented their stance to Egyptian intelligence officials, and that they in turn will relay the outcome of their talks to Israel.
Mohammed Nasser, a member of Hamas' political bureau who was present in the talks, voiced reservations regarding the announcement that the Egyptian proposal was acceptable to Hamas, saying that Hamas' willingness to cooperate with Egyptian efforts did not mean that they had accepted the proposal.
"There are still clauses under discussion and we are still pushing the issue," he said.
In Israel, defense sources said yesterday that the Hamas declaration reflected a significant softening of the group's original stance.
The same sources said Hamas was responding to the pressure from the military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Israel must try to seek a quick cease-fire, said the source, and the Israel Defense Forces must try to avoid 'complications' - army talk for losses.