Israel conditions halt of homemade shells and weapons smuggling for ceasefire

Sunday April 27, 2008 21:05 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli media sources reported Sunday that the Israeli government has conditioned halt of homemade shells as well as weapons smuggling through the Egypt-Gaza border lines as a precondition for a 'non-binding ceasefire with the Palestinians'.

The Israeli sources said that Israel will have no pretext to carry out military attacks on the Gaza Strip, once such a condition is guaranteed.

The sources added that such an Israeli position came after the ruling Hamas party in Gaza offered last Thursday a ceasefire initiative that is meant to end homemade shells fire onto Israel as Israel would lift the Gaza siege and halt military attacks.

According to the Israeli radio, Israel never negotiates with Hamas and any ceasefire with the Palestinians, should not come within an agreement.

Tomorrow, representatives of the Palestinian factions in Gaza will be meeting in Cairo with Egyptian mediators, who received the Hamas offer on Thursday.

The democratic front for the liberation of Palestine expressed reservation to the offer, saying it is inconsistent with its declared position that any ceasefire should be comprehensive and mutual.

The latest ceasefire initiatives states that a six-month period of calm will be observed in Gaza first, then at a later stage, the calm will be extended to the West Bank.

gaza strip | miscellaneous | news report rami at imemc dot org