Weak results achieved by Egyptian mediation between Israel and Hamas compel the Islamic movement to look for an international mediator to make better progress, a Hamas lawmaker said on Thursday.
Lawmaker Mushier al-Massri, however, said that Egypt is still the current mediator, while international and local pressure on Egypt was taken into consideration.
Cairo has been mediating between Hamas and Israel to broker a prisoner swap deal and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip in June this year.
Egypt also mediates between the feuding Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah to broker a national Palestinian reconciliation.
But al-Massri admitted that the closure of Rafah crossing point between the Hamas-controlled Gaza and Egypt "has contributed to weaken the confidence between Egypt and the Palestinian people."
The crossing has been closed since Hamas took over control of Gaza last summer after driving out security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.
According to a U.S.-brokered deal in 2005, Rafah crossing can not work without the presence of Palestinian presidential guards and European Union monitors.
Al-Massri also criticized Egypt for not putting pressure on Israel to respect the ceasefire though Hamas was fully committed to the deal.
Source:Xinhua
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