Hamas Lists Demands For Truce In Israel Gaza Ceasefire Talks
Hamas lists demands for the Israel-Gaza ceasefire talks. Fears of an ongoing ground war were sparked when Hamas began firing hundreds of rockets. Air raid sirens were heard for the first time in Tel Aviv since 1994 during the first Gulf War. The Hamas Muslim terrorist group controlling the Gaza strip has gone so far as to launch attacks in Jerusalem, all the while bragging that they are willing to become martyrs and proud to use other people as human body shields.
As Israeli ground forces begin preparation for entering the Gaza strip, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Egypt today, November 19, to help broker an end to the fighting. The political head of Hamas told reporters in Cairo that Hamas had never asked for a truce. The Palestinian Islamist group is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union.
“Israel is the one that started the war and should stop it,” the political head of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, said, adding that Hamas will not accept any Israeli conditions. “Certain demands must be met,” he said, including an end to the blockade of Gaza. They also desire an end to targeted air bombings, especially after the assassination of the Hamas rocket chief.
“We are not against calm (a truce) … but there must specific demands … in summary that the Israeli thuggery and aggression stop … and the siege on Gaza be lifted,” Mashaal said, listing Hamas demand in a news conference in Cairo according to Reuters. “Egypt was asked by the Americans, European parties and from Israel directly to work to realize calm. They (Israel) attacked and they requested the calm because their calculations failed.”
In response to Hamas listing these demands Israel has denied that its prime minister has requested a truce as well. In addition, Israel wants “international guarantees” that Hamas will not rearm or use Egypt’s neighboring Sinai peninsula for militant activity. Egypt’s President and the Muslim Brotherhood had previously supported Hamas by calling for a Muslim “Day Of Rage” in Arab capitals this past Friday.
