GAZA CITY-
The armed wing of Hamas on Tuesday rejected Egyptian proposals for a ceasefire in Gaza, threatening to “intensify” its conflict with Israel if truce terms were unsatisfactory.
“No official or unofficial side has approached us about the ceasefire talked about in the media… (but) if the contents of this proposal are true, it is a surrender and we reject it outright,” the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement. “Our battle with the enemy will intensify.”
Egypt proposed late Monday that Israel and Hamas end hostilities on Tuesday at 0600 GMT, after seven days of bloodshed in Gaza that has killed at least 186 Palestinians, many of them women and children.
During Israel´s Operation Protective Edge, which is launched July 8 to stamp out rocket fire from Gaza militants, Israel and Hamas have exchanged hundreds of air strikes and rocket attacks respectively. No Israelis have been killed.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the Egyptian proposal, and Israel´s cabinet said it would meet Tuesday to discuss it. But Hamas refused to cease firing until a comprehensive agreement was put in place.
Hamas has said it wants Israel´s blockade on Gaza lifted, along with the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in any truce deal. It also wants Israel to release Palestinians it rearrested after freeing them in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier.
Death cult of Hamas is willing to sacrifice Palestinian civilians to continue useless war on Israel…It is terrorist group Hamas that is biggest obstacle to peace…bad leadership of Hamas has caused nothing but misery for Palestinian people…
Comments are closed.