Islamic Hamas movement expected that a truce agreement to be reached with
Israel within the coming days, if Israel gives convincing answers related to
ending the blockade.
Hamas spokesman in Gaza Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement that he expects a
truce agreement to be announced within the coming days "if we receive from Egypt
convincing answers related to siege and crossings."
"If our Egyptian brothers receive from Israel convincing answers to our
questions, we might reach an honorific deal within days that ends the siege and
reopens the crossings," said Barhoum.
Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, on Saturday publicly emerged for the
first time since the beginning of Israeli onslaught in December, heading a Hamas
delegation for ceasefire talks in Cairo.
The four-person delegation crossed into Egypt Saturday afternoon through
Rafah terminal on Gaza-Egypt border. Hamas delegation will hold further talks
with senior Egyptian intelligence officials on the truce and the national
dialogue.
Barhoum said the answers Hamas delegation is expected to receive from Israel
through the Egyptian mediator are related to the 20 percent of goods and
materials that Israel won't allow into Gaza.
Hamas has also asked for clarifications over the mechanism of operating the
crossings and the role of the European inspectors, Barhoum said, denying that
his movement had accepted joint Turkish-French inspectors on the crossings.
"We wanted to know if the role of the foreign inspectors would be secure, technical or administrative. We actually don't ask guarantees from Egypt, but Egypt should insure guarantees that oblige the occupation to respect the deal.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L) welcomes Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (R) as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili stands in the background before a meeting in Tehran, February 1, 2009.