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Hamas denies collapse of Egypt-brokered Israel truce talks
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories, Sept 25, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A senior
Hamas official denied Tuesday that Egyptian-brokered talks on reconciliation
with the Palestinian Authority and a lasting truce with Israel have
collapsed, but admitted progress was slow.
“The efforts of our Egyptian brothers continue on the file of Palestinian
reconciliation and the calm with the (Israeli) occupation,” spokesman Sami
Abu Zuhri told AFP.
“We in Hamas are responsive to these ongoing efforts.”
Egypt has for months been seeking to broker two separate deals.
One would bring Hamas and president Mahmud Abbas’ secular Fatah party
together a decade after a bloody split, and another would see a lasting truce
between Hamas and Israel in exchange for a loosening of the Jewish state’s
blockade of the Gaza Strip.
UN officials have also been involved in the indirect discussions between
Gaza’s Islamist ruler Hamas and Israel, which have fought three wars since
2008.
Abu Zuhri accused Fatah of obstructing the talks, while Fatah has accused
Hamas of being intransigent.
A senior Hamas leader told AFP Tuesday that a delegation would visit Cairo
to continue negotiations in the coming days.
An Egyptian security delegation travelled to Gaza for a few hours on
Saturday for a visit that included a meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniya.
Hamas has encouraged months of violent border protests against Israel.
After a lull, protests have regained strength in recent weeks as talks were
seen to stall.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1945 hrs