Hamas to get Israeli responses to ceasefire questions

Source: Xinhua | 02-09-2009 08:24

GAZA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Sunday will get Israeli responses to questions that the Islamic movement raised concerning efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza Strip.

Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas, said officials from the Islamic movement will meet with Egyptian mediators on Sunday to be briefed on the Israeli responses.

Barhoum explained that Hamas was looking for guarantees to get Israeli commitment to the agreement if reached so as to avoid having a shaky ceasefire like the six-month deal in 2008.

The guarantees mainly involve the operations on the commercial crossing points in Gaza, according to Barhoum. "We asked for clarifications on the sort, amounts and levels of basic goods that would be allowed in."

He rejected Israeli threats that 30 percent of the goods would be withheld unless Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier Hamas holds, is freed.

Editor:Zhang Yun