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Hamas Official: Palestinian Factions Discussing Unconditional Truce Offer | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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London, Asharq Al-Awsat- A senior official in the dismissed Hamas government has stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that his organization did not rule out a truce proposal being made to Israel but denied there is an official one so far.

The official who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity said that, “There is renewed discussion of the truce issue inside Hamas on one hand and between it and the resistance factions on the other. We are hoping to succeed in this.” On the conditions for a truce, he said: “There will not be any conditions. Stop what you do and I will stop what I do.”

Two Israeli ministers, one from the ruling “Kadima” party and the other from the “Labor” party which is a partner in the government coalition, have called for dealing with any “serious” offer from the Hamas movement to conclude a truce in the Gaza Strip.

In other news, Israel is considering relaxing its criteria for releasing Palestinian prisoners, officials said on Monday before the start of another round of peace talks bogged down by disputes over settlements.

Israel’s deputy defense minister, Matan Vilnai, told Israel Radio that Marwan Barghouthi, a Palestinian uprising leader from Fatah who is seen as a possible successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, could be a candidate for release.