Itongadol.- Terror group calls for Palestinian negotiators to leave Cairo talks, not agree to cease-fire extension if terms not met; Egypt pressing Hamas, Islamic Jihad to extend cease-fire that ends Friday morning.
The armed wing of Hamas called on Palestinian negotiators in Cairo not to extend a 72-hour truce unless their demands, in particular for the opening of Gaza\’s port, were met and warned it was ready to engage in a long war.
"We urge the Palestinian delegation negotiating not to renew the truce except after the acceptance in principle, particularly to the port (opening), and if there is no acceptance then we ask the delegation to withdraw from talks," a fighter, his face hidden behind a Palestinian scarf, said in a televised statement from Izz a-Din al-Kassam Brigades. The statement was aired on the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera news network.
Meanwhile, the Egyptians were exerting pressure on Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Thursday to agree to the extension of the 72-hour cease-fire with Israel, which expires Friday morning at 8 a.m.
Palestinian sources said that the Egyptians are hoping to persuade the two groups to agree to another 72-hour cease-fire.
According to the sources, the cease-fire discussions in Cairo have thus far failed to achieve real progress.
The sources attributed the lack of progress to Israel’s refusal to comply with the demands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including the release of West Bank Palestinians who were rearrested over the past two months and the construction of a seaport in the Gaza Strip.