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As the Zionist entity accepted an Egyptian ceasefire proposal, the Palestinian resistance rejected it, vowing to intensify the battle with the enemy.
Israeli security cabinet on Tuesday accepted the Egyption proposal proposal, a government spokesman said.
"The cabinet has decided to accept the Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire starting 9am today," Ofir Gendelman, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Twitter.
Ministers in the security cabinet had begun meeting early on Tuesday to consider the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire to start immediately from 0600 GMT.
For its part, the resistance voiced rejection to the initiative; with spokesman of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, Fawzi Barhum told AFP there would be no truce without a fully fledged deal to end hostilities.
"In times of war, you don't cease fire and then negotiate," he said.
Sami Abu Zuhri, another Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said earlier on Tuesday that the resistance group had not received an official ceasefire proposal, and he repeated its position that demands it has made must be met before it lays down its weapons.
The military wing of the resistance movement, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades considered the truce as surrender, pledging to intensify the battle against the Zionist entity.
The al-Qassam Brigades said it had not officially received the text of the agreement but said excerpts published in the media showed it was "an initiative of kneeling and submission, and we reject it outright.”
"Our battle with the enemy continues and will increase in ferocity and intensity,” al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.
Source: Agencies | 15-07-2014 - 11:02 Last updated 15-07-2014 - 11:02 |
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Hamas rejects Egypt’s truce offer for Gaza
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has rejected a proposal by Egypt for a ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip, unless Israel meets a few demands including an end to the Gaza blockade.
The military wing of Hamas, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, on Tuesday dismissed the proposal as “surrender” and vowed to “intensify” its battle against Israel.
On the same day, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said, “A ceasefire without reaching an agreement is rejected. In times of war, you don’t cease fire and then negotiate.”
The resistance movement has said it will not hold its fire without Israel agreeing to a list of demands, including an end to its eight-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, along with the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
On Monday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry presented a three-step plan over the Gaza conflict, which starts with a 12-hour ceasefire that would take effect on Tuesday.
“0600 GMT has been set for the beginning of the implementation of truce arrangements between the two sides,” a statement said. The ministry added that the truce would be followed by the opening of border crossings, and talks in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, between the sides.
Tel Aviv has ignored the UN’s call for a truce and is continuing its intensive aerial bombing campaign against Gaza, which started on July 8. The overall death toll from the Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave has risen to nearly 190.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Tel Aviv will not stop its attacks on Gaza.
MR/HJL/HRB
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