The leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Mahmud Zahar, dismissed any suggestion that his movement could soon halt attacks against Israel. Last week, there were reports that Zahar and PLO chief Mahmud Abbas discussed a possible declaration by Hamas of a truce. But the Hamas leader said Sunday talk of a ceasefire had not even featured in the discussions. "No single word was said about a truce," he said, according to AFP.
| "Nope. Nope. Never happened." |
"Until now we are still defending ourselves, defending our people, pushing the Israelis outside our territory." Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed Al-Hindi, a prominent leader of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, has asserted his Movement's rejection of either short or long-term truce with Israel, especially in light of the "Zionist continuous aggressions on the Palestinian people," the latest of which was the assassination of Mahmoud Kamil, one of the Movement's field commanders. Al Hindi's comments came after the meeting with Egyptian embassy's officials held Saturday in Gaza city. Well-informed sources in the Islamic Jihad said that Dr. Al-Hindi confirmed, during meeting the Movement's absolute boycott of the PA presidential elections. He noted that his Movement was still considering its participation in the PA legislative elections. |