Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement on Monday affirmed it accepts a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip on the basis that the calmness would prevail in the West Bank afterwards.
Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman, told the press that his movement accepts "a mutual and coincident lull starting first in Gaza," stressing "this is our clear position and we are consulting with the factions on this issue."
Hamas, like all other Palestinian armed groups, has often insisted that any ceasefire with Israel must take place simultaneously in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
"In this phase, the calmness is an initial and aims at lifting the siege and then preparing an internal Palestinian dialogue... we can't engage in dialogue under the current crisis and the tightsiege," Taha said.
Israel stepped up attacks and tightened closure on the Gaza Strip after Hamas took over the coastal territory by force in June last year.
Hamas has recently finished talks over a possible ceasefire deal with Israel with Egyptians who has been leading the efforts to broker the truce, and is waiting for Israeli responses that are expected to come through Egyptian mediators.
Representatives of Palestinian factions will head to Cairo later on Monday to hold further talks with Egyptian officials over the matter.
However, Naffez Azzam, an Islamic Jihad (Holy War) leader in Gaza said his movement has not yet "crystallized a final stance regarding the calmness initiative."
Source:Xinhua
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