'Hamas talking to Islamic Jihad in effort to halt rockets'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
LAST UPDATED: 08/21/2011 09:43
Damascus leadership believes escalation not in Palestinian interests; IDF spokesman says Hamas not firing rockets, but is still responsible.
Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Hamas
has been holding talks with the Islamic Jihad over the weekend in an
effort to convince the terror organization to stop firing rockets into
Israel and resume the de facto truce that has been in place for two
years, Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported on Sunday.
According
to the report, Hamas leaders from Damascus told Egyptian officials that
the group is not interested in an escalation with Israel at the moment,
saying it does not believe it is in the interest of the Palestinians.
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Hamas's armed wing, the Izzadin al-Kassam Brigades, the report added,
was not participating in the rocket fire that saw over 80 projectiles
fired into Israel from the Strip over the weekend.
Speaking with Israel Radio Sunday morning, an IDF spokesman said that
while Hamas was not itself firing rockets, the IDF holds it responsible
for all activity taking place in and emanating from the Gaza Strip.
