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World Jewish News
Egypt to demand Hamas accept immediate truce in Gaza
05.01.2009
Egyptian officials said Monday that Cairo was set to demand an immediate cease-fire from Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli forces moved into their 10th day of a military offensive on the coastal territory.
Hamas plans to send a delegation to Egypt on Monday for the first diplomatic talks since the launch of a 10-day-old Israel Defense Forces offensive in the Gaza Strip, an official of the Islamist group has said.
Hamas official Ayman Taha said a Hamas delegation would head to Cairo "answering an Egyptian invitation to hold discussions." A senior Palestinian official said on Friday that Egypt had launched contacts with Hamas to achieve a truce.
The Hamas visit to Egypt would coincide with the expected visit there of French President Sarkozy, who has also launched a European-backed diplomatic push for a cease-fire. Taha did not say whether the delegation would include Hamas members from Gaza or from elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused Israel of committing "inhuman" acts in Gaza that would cause it to self-destruct.
In an interview with Al Jazeera television network, the Turkish prime minister said Israel hurt its relations with Turkey by attacking Gaza, and will be punished.
Israel launched a ground offensive deep into the Gaza Strip on Saturday in an effort to stop rocket attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza, which have traumatized southern Israel. Over 500 Palestinians have been killed since the Gaza escalation began, at least a quarter of them civilians, a UN agency said.
In the wake of his visit to the Middle East on Monday, Erdogan voiced his support of Hamas and said Turkey would act as a mediator between the Islamist organization and the United Nations Security Council.
He further stressed that Israel was responsible for violating the six-month cease-fire with Hamas by keeping the coastal strip blockaded.
The UN chief on Monday urged the divided Security Council to work toward a speedy end to the escalating crisis in Gaza and planned to meet Monday with Arab ministers flying to New York to press for an immediate halt to the violence.
Late Saturday, the United States blocked approval of a Security Council statement calling for an immediate cease-fire and expressing serious concern at the escalation of violence after Israeli tanks and artillery began a ground assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, council diplomats said.
In a statement released Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "Given the crucial juncture at which we have arrived in the search for a cease-fire, I appeal to all members of the international community to display the unity and commitment required to bring this escalating crisis to an end."
On Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced Israel's ground operation as "brutal aggression."
Источник: HAARETZ.COM
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