The Hamas delegation now in Cairo for discussions with Egypt on a fragile Gaza truce will put forward a proposal to open Rafah crossing point, a Hamas official said on Thursday.
"The movement's delegation, which arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, holds a mechanism to open the crossing regularly with the participation of Egypt, the Palestinian Presidency and Hamas," said Osama al-Muzini, a Hamas official in Gaza.
"If we reached understandings with the Egyptians preventing the Israeli side form controlling the crossing, we will hold a special meeting with the factions and the entire relevant sides," al-Muzini added.
Rafah crossing was completely closed in June 2007 when Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after routing security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' of Fatah.
According to a U.S.-brokered international deal in 2005, Rafah crossing can not be open without the presence of the Palestinian Presidential Guard forces and monitors from the European Union (EU). Israel used to control the arrival of EU monitors to the crossing.
Rafah is the only crossing for Palestinians who want to travel out and in to the coastal Strip. Egypt unilaterally opens Rafah crossing from time to time to allow in patient and stranded Palestinians.
On June 19, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel went into force, which calls on Israel to stop military offensive into Gaza and ease the blockade that Israel imposed on Gaza after Hamas seized its control.
In return, Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas are expected to end rocket attacks on southern Israeli communities.
Meanwhile, Fawzi Barhoom, a spokesman for Hamas, said that the movement's delegation to Cairo "carries a letter of the Israeli violations of the ceasefire."
"Israel violates the most important article of the lull deal, which is related to Rafah crossing," Barhoom said. "We will ask Egypt to sponsor an immediate meeting for all parties involved in Rafah crossing which are the Palestinian (National) Authority, Hamas and the Europeans."
Since the truce went into effect, Israel has sealed off the impoverished territory, home to some 1.4 million population, several times in retaliation of rocket and mortar attacks.
Source: Xinhua
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