Hamas official: Language of Egyptian cease-fire proposal 'acceptable'

Islamic Jihad official says Israel is “eager to reach an agreement” despite its “arrogance,” noting that senior Israeli officials have been involved in indirect talks.

By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
Deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau Moussa Abu Marzouk during an interview in Cairo, August 9, 2014. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau Moussa Abu Marzouk during an interview in Cairo, August 9, 2014.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A senior Hamas official said Tuesday that the new Egyptian cease-fire proposal to end the hostilities between the Palestinians and Israel in Gaza, was “acceptable” in terms of its language.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a member of the Hamas delegation in Cairo, told the pan-Arabic newspaper Al Hayat that discussions were ongoing with the Egyptians over the details.
Khaled al-Batsh, Islamic Jihad’s representative to the Cairo cease-fire talks, said the Palestinian delegation was awaiting Israel’s response to the proposal, which was “acceptable in principle.”
Al Hayat quoted a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader as telling the paper that the group wanted the agreement in order to “stop the brutal aggression” and avoid the deaths of Palestinian children, adding that the Israelis had “targeted civilians to put pressure on the resistance.”
The official said Israel was “eager to reach an agreement” despite its “arrogance,” noting that senior Israeli officials had been involved in indirect talks. He added that the Egyptian proposal would strengthen the role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, including by assisting in supervision of the Rafah crossing. He added that Israel had “failed to achieve its goals,” which were to “disarm the resistance and prevent tunnel construction.”  
Israeli officials stressed on Monday evening that as long as Hamas continues firing rockets and mortars there will be no “Cairo cease-fire process,” even as the terror group said efforts were carrying on to reach an agreement.
The Islamic Jihad's Batsh said in a statement early Monday that the armistice would be based on the 2012 understandings reached between Israel and the Palestinian groups, in addition to Egypt’s latest proposal for rebuilding the Gaza Strip and expanding the fishing zone for local fishermen.
Herb Keinon and Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.