Al-Beltagy: Egyptian ceasefire a failure, only resistance will bring victory

A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood criticised Egypt’s proposal for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, describing it as “an initiative of shame”, according to Anadolu news agency.

Mohamed Al-Beltagy reportedly made the statement before a session of his trial on Tuesday, which was held at the Cairo Criminal Court at the Police Academy.

Al-Beltagy, along with other Muslim Brotherhood leaders and leading Islamist figures, are accused of torturing two police officers during the Rabaa sit-in staged in support of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.

The defendants denied the accusations made against them in front of the prosecution, according to a judicial source, but the prosecution still referred them to trial.

Speaking before the session, Al-Beltagy said: “This irrational initiative smells of failure and shame. It certainly does not in any way reflect Egypt or the Egyptian people, who stand firmly by the Palestinian people.”

He hailed the resolve of the Palestinian people and Hamas in the face of the Israeli occupation. “The Palestinian people are reclaiming their dignity and their revolution. The Islamic resistance will achieve victory for the Palestinian people,” he said.

On 14 July, Egypt launched an initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza. According to Haaretz newspaper, the Egyptian proposal called for an immediate ceasefire, after which all the other details will be worked out, including border crossings, salary payments and the easing of fishing limitations on Gaza fishermen. But the deal also called for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza. In addition, the newspaper reported that, “A senior Palestinian official said that Egypt told Hamas that any opening of the Rafah crossing would entail the return of Abu Mazen’s presidential guard there, with no Hamas men present.”

While Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal and several regional and international parties have welcomed the initiative, Hamas announced that it would not accept any ceasefire proposal that does not meet the Palestinian conditions.

Al-Beltagy was one of the most prominent political leaders who led the Egyptian relief convoys to the Gaza Strip when Morsi was president, before his ouster in July 2013. He is also a member of the International Committee to End the Siege on Gaza.