Hamas denies news about a truce proposal

Hamas yesterday denied Israeli reports that it had offered a truce in return for lifting the Israeli siege which has been imposed on Gaza since mid-2007.

The Israeli news website, which is close to the Israeli intelligence, claimed that it obtained documents from Western diplomatic sources showing that Hamas offered a five-year truce with Israel in return for lifting the siege on Gaza.

In a statement, Hamas official spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri said that international parties offered the proposal and the movement has not responded. He did not mention the parties involved.

Abu-Zuhri said his movement did not reply because such an issue must be dealt with through a national agreement among all Palestinian factions. However, he did not rule out being involved in such a truce if it is in favour of the Palestinians.

On 26 August last year, Palestinian factions reached a ceasefire agreement with Israel that brought to an end a 51-day war on the Gaza Strip. More than 2,160 Palestinians were killed and around 11,000 others were wounded.

Israel has not committed to the ceasefire agreement and has violated in many ways including by shooting at Palestinian farmers in the Gaza Strip. Two days ago, it reduce the distance fisherman can travel to four nautical miles off the Gaza coast, a direct violation of the terms of the truce.