Hamas is still awaiting Israel's response to an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Islamic movement said on Thursday.
The spokesman, Ismail Radwan, warned that "Hamas' patience will not last forever." The Palestinian factions accepted the Egyptian offer while the Israeli answer is expected next week.
Despite the Egyptian efforts, which focus on achieving the calmness in Gaza first, Israel continues its incursions in the border areas of the Gaza Strip, while Hamas has limited its operations to countering the Israeli forces only when they enter the coastal Strip, he said.
"Hamas will move to block any attempt by the occupation aimed at taking advantage of the current calmness without accepting the deal," Radwan said.
Israel closed all crossing points into Gaza Strip last June when Hamas took over the coastal enclave by force.
Later, the Jewish state had also reduced fuel supplies to Gaza as part of efforts to pressure Palestinian militants to halt rocket attacks into southern Israel communities, making life hard for the 1.5 million population in Gaza.
Hamas accepted the Egyptian offer in the hope that the crossing points into Gaza will reopen.
Radwan also asked Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza if Israel turned down Egypt's efforts.
"We expect Egypt to do so because it is unbelievable that the siege will remain in place and the crossing will be closed in the face of the Palestinian people," he said.
Source: Xinhua
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