Ramallah: The Palestinan National Authority (PNA) says it’s ready to deploy troops on the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt as a way to ease the blockade on Gaza.
The suggestion came from Egypt during reconcilation talks between Hamas and Fatah months ago that led to the formation of a unity government. According to a senior PNA official who spoke to Gulf News, Hamas said that it had no objection to the proposal.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth cited an unnamed senior Egyptian official saying that border crossings could be opened after a signing of the ceasefire agreement with Israel if this demand was met.
Egyptian officials mediating indirect talks between Hamas and Israel met an Israel delegation during the night and were to relay their demands to Palestinian representatives, Palestinian sources said on Wednesday.
The shuttle diplomacy comes as a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after a brutal Israeli assault on Gaza entered a second day on Wednesday.
Palestinian officials in Cairo said they would respond to the Israeli terms through the Egyptian intelligence officials, although a senior Hamas official has already rejected an Israeli demand that fighters in Gaza disarm.
Meanwhile, international Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair and UN Middle East peace process coordinator Robert Serry were scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian officials later on Wednesday.
The Egyptian-mediated 72-hour ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday. More than 1,800 Palestinians have been killed, mostly civilians, and 67 Israelis have been killed, mostly soldiers.
The talks in Cairo are aimed at securing a durable ceasefire after the three-day window closes.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, in a BBC interview, called for a sustained ceasefire but stressed that the wider issues needed to be tackled.
The Palestinians demand an end to the eight-year Israeli blockade of Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Kerry, without openly calling for a lifting of the siege, said that border crossings should be opened.
Israel has demanded that Hamas, which won Palestinian elections in 2006 although designated a terrorist group by the United States and Israel, disarm its militia.
A senior Hamas official in Cairo said on Tuesday the fighters would not even consider laying down their weapons, which include an arsenal of unguided rockets and anti-tank missiles.
Hamas’ list of demands also include building a seaport and an airport, as well as provision of a safe passage connecting Gaza and the West Bank. Yedioth Ahronoth claimed that the Egyptians said the establishment of an airport and construction of a seaport would not even be discussed.
Ezzat Al Rashq, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, warned that Hamas wouldn’t hesitate to return to fighting if it felt that Israel was procrastinating and playing dirty games in the negotiations.
He said that Hamas had not received any responses to its demands, contradicting the Yedioth Ahronoth report that said Hamas’ demands were rejected. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Front for Liberation of Palestine released a statement saying Israeli demands to demilitarise Gaza was a mere “dream”. Hamas has consistently rejected demands to disarm.
