Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Gaza Truce Depends on Israeli Election: Hamas | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page

CAIRO (AFP) – Hamas is awaiting the outcome of Tuesday’s Israeli election to know whether a long-term truce deal in Gaza can be reached, senior Hamas member Osama Hamdan told AFP.

Egypt has been mediating between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s rulers since mutual ceasefires ended the 22-day war on the territory on January 18, but progress has been slow despite repeated announcements of imminent success.

Hamas delegations were expected to return to Cairo from Gaza and Damascus for more talks on Tuesday, but Hamdan told AFP by telephone that no date had yet been set for the Islamist negotiators to come back to Egypt.

“We’re following the Israeli election. The election taking place today will determine what will happen,” he said.

“If (right-wing Likud leader Benjamin) Netanyahu wins, I don’t think that the current government will conclude an agreement. If the current government wins, they could reach an agreement.”

While a Hamas official said on Saturday that a truce deal could be clinched within “a few days,” Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday that a lasting Gaza truce could come into effect “next week.”

Hamdan said that pending the Israeli election result, Hamas was continuing its contacts to resolve sticking points, particularly on how to reopen Gaza’s crossing points.

Israel, which controls all but one of Gaza’s border crossings, has kept the densely populated strip closed to all but essential supplies since June 2007, when Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian faction Fatah.

Hamas has said that Israel wants the crossings to be open initially to 80 percent of goods, with complete opening to follow when a prisoner exchange deal is sealed for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured in 2006.

The Islamists have said they want clarifications on what goods would be allowed into the Gaza Strip initially.

Hamas and Israel, which refuse to negotiate directly with each other, announced unilateral ceasefires on January 18 after a short but fierce conflict left around 1,330 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.

Palestinian militants have fired around 40 rockets and mortar rounds into Israel since the theoretical end of hostilities, and Israel has launched sporadic air and artillery strikes on Gaza in retaliation.