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Itongadol.- Israel and Hamas will resume indirect negotiations toward a permanent cease-fire, on October 27 in Cairo at Egypt\’s invitation, media reports say.
The move was expected: Last month the two sides met for the first timesince the end of the 50-day conflict, and agreed to schedule another roundfor the last week of October.
AFP quoted Hamas deputy leader Moussa Abu Marzouk as saying that the group and "the Palestinian factions" would indirectly engage Israel under Egypt\’s auspices.
Marzouk said the Palestinians from the outset would demand that a Gaza port be opened and the territory\’s airport be reopened, AFP reported, citing Hamas\’s al-Ray website.
Also on the table: prisoners, reconstruction efforts, and other "unfinished cases and issues," Marzouk told the Palestinian Ma\’an news agency.
The Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz as saying that Israel wants to see Gaza rebuilt so long as that effort doesn\’t include building smuggling tunnels, manufacturing rockets "or anything else that has a military-terrorist purpose.”