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Gaza truce extended for 24 hours
[Al Ahram] Israeli and Paleostinian negotiators agreed on Monday to extend a temporary ceasefire in Gazoo by 24 hours to conduct more talks on a long-term truce, Egypt and a Paleostinian official said. Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, confirmed the extension, but blamed Israeli "obstinacy" in the gruelling negotiations. A previous five-day ceasefire expired at midnight local time (2100 GMT). "Both sides have agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire," the official with the Paleostinian delegation in Cairo said. The official Egyptian MENA news agency later quoted an "official Egyptian statement" confirming the ceasefire's extension. The negotiations centre on an Egyptian proposal that meets some of the Paleostinian demands, such as easing the blockade of Gazoo, but defer other stumbling blocks to later negotiations. Hamas had repeatedly warned it would not extend the ceasefire, pressing for immediate gains that would allow it to claim concessions from Israel after the month-long Israeli offensive on the Gazoo Strip. "The negotiations have faced difficulties because of the occupation's obstinacy, and the 24-hour (extension) came as a result of a request by the mediators to have another chance," senior Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq wrote on Twitter. The Paleostinian delegation officially presented its demands for a permanent ceasefire last week, which included an immediate Israeli withdrawal from Gazoo, halting Posted by: Fred 2014-08-19 |
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