LRPV
05-20-2008, 09:45 PM
Egyptian official: Israel has accepted Gaza cease-fire
YAAKOV KATZ and TOVAH LAZAROFF , THE JERUSALEM POST May. 20, 2008
A senior Egyptian official said on Tuesday night that Israel had accepted in principle a proposal for a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to the official MENA news agency.
"Israeli leaders [have informed us] of their support for and understanding of the Egyptian proposals for a truce," the news agency quoted the unidentified official as saying.
It added that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman had relayed the news to a Hamas delegation from Gaza earlier in the day.
Israeli officials declined to confirm the report.
"As far as we are concerned, we can only indicate that contacts are continuing," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Meanwhile, kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit's father, Noam, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that Olmert had personally promised in a telephone conversation that his son would be included in any agreement or arrangement reached with Hamas.
But the call, he said, took place last week.
"We are still waiting," he said.
In his talks with Suleiman and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak over a Gaza cease-fire proposal on Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel was prepared to accept a cease-fire that included expediting the negotiations for Schalit's release.
According to the Israeli proposal, the first stage would include a cessation of hostilities, and then a lifting of the siege on Gaza - by opening the crossings - in exchange for advancement in efforts to free Schalit. Defense officials said Barak also asked that Schalit be transferred to Egypt for safekeeping until the completion of the negotiations. Defense officials said that if Hamas accepted Israel's two-stage cease-fire proposal, a truce in Gaza would go into effect before the end of the week.
YAAKOV KATZ and TOVAH LAZAROFF , THE JERUSALEM POST May. 20, 2008
A senior Egyptian official said on Tuesday night that Israel had accepted in principle a proposal for a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to the official MENA news agency.
"Israeli leaders [have informed us] of their support for and understanding of the Egyptian proposals for a truce," the news agency quoted the unidentified official as saying.
It added that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman had relayed the news to a Hamas delegation from Gaza earlier in the day.
Israeli officials declined to confirm the report.
"As far as we are concerned, we can only indicate that contacts are continuing," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Meanwhile, kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit's father, Noam, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that Olmert had personally promised in a telephone conversation that his son would be included in any agreement or arrangement reached with Hamas.
But the call, he said, took place last week.
"We are still waiting," he said.
In his talks with Suleiman and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak over a Gaza cease-fire proposal on Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel was prepared to accept a cease-fire that included expediting the negotiations for Schalit's release.
According to the Israeli proposal, the first stage would include a cessation of hostilities, and then a lifting of the siege on Gaza - by opening the crossings - in exchange for advancement in efforts to free Schalit. Defense officials said Barak also asked that Schalit be transferred to Egypt for safekeeping until the completion of the negotiations. Defense officials said that if Hamas accepted Israel's two-stage cease-fire proposal, a truce in Gaza would go into effect before the end of the week.