Israel and militant group Hamas have agreed to end months of bitter clashes with a six-month truce starting on Thursday, Palestinian officials say. A Hamas official said he was confident all militant groups in Gaza would abide by the agreement, brokered by Egypt. Israeli officials meanwhile said they were "looking to see if this is serious".
The accord, set to go into effect at 6 a.m. Thursday has the bigger aim of ending Israel's yearlong economic blockade of Gaza and bringing home a captive Israeli soldier. But the phased approach is prone to pitfalls, and past truces have quickly broken down. Israel cautiously promised a "new reality" if the rocket fire ends. The deal was first announced in Cairo by Egypt's state-run news agency and quickly confirmed by Hamas. However, Hamas said it would respond to any Israeli attacks. Israel wants to halt the incessant rocket and mortar attacks on its southern communities that have killed seven Israelis over the past year. They also wants an end to Hamas arms smuggling into Gaza from Egypt, and the return of Cpl. Gilad Schalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Hamas-linked militants in a cross-border raid two years ago. Meanwhile on the other hand, Hamas wants Israel to lift its crippling blockade of Gaza, which has led to widespread shortages of fuel, electricity and basic goods. Israeli imposed the sanctions after Hamas violently seized control of Gaza last year, and has tightened the blockade recently in response to increased rocket fire.
Gaza Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said all the armed factions in Gaza are on board with the truce. Speaking after another Hamas official outlined details of the truce at a news conference, Zahar said Hamas will not put down its weapons, because he did not believe Israel would implement the cease-fire. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that no deal was in place yet saying that "it is hard to evaluate how long it would last" and that "the Israeli military is ready for any development." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a rival of Hamas, welcomed the accord while in Washington, the State Department said it was supportive of efforts to bring calm to Gaza and southern Israel while insisting that Hamas remained a terrorist organization. The truce will apply only in Gaza, Hamas says, and it will not be allowed to respond from Gaza to any Israeli action in the West Bank. Egyptian officials say they will continue efforts to broker a similar ceasefire in the West Bank. The last ceasefire between Hamas and Israel ended in April last year, shortly before the Islamist movement took control of the Gaza Strip. [End of report]
I was really pleased when I heard this news but still, I am a bit sceptical about exactly how long will the truce actually last. The fact that both parties, Hamas and the Israeli government is willing to talk and cooperate together is a good first step even though it comes with preconditions. Israel wants a halt to the rocket and mortar fire across its border from the Gaza Strip and the return of their captured soldier while Hamas wants a period of calm to consolidate itself and relieve the economic pressure on the Palestinian population as well as the opening of the entry and exit points into the Gaza Strip. Past informal cease-fires with Hamas has proved futile. Lets take the truce back in November 2006 for example which lasted only for several weeks. They were never formally signed because Hamas and Israel do not recognize each other and the situation is much or less the same I guess. While Hamas and Egypt officials has confirmed that there will be indeed a ceasefire, Israel itself has yet to confirm its agreement to the deal though I believe it is true, or I hope that is the case.
I strongly believe if both parties remain true to the truce, it will create more opportunities for more cooperation on similar deals in the future which can only be good. But it is much more easier to say it than doing it. It only takes one bullet or rocket from any side to attack the other and the truce will no longer work. Many Palestinians and Israelis are sceptical but many others who are suffering each day are pinning their hopes that the truce will finally work. I really hope it will. Hamas might be a terrorist organisation according to the U.S. but when there are opportunities to make peace, you have to work together. It also shows that no matter how much both parties hate each other, they need one another if they wish to achieve some level of success, albeit an indirect one in this case.
Whatever it is, I am hoping for the best. It is time to stop the suffering and killing. It might just be a small step, but it's a start. Both parties need to trust each other at least this once. I don't really have my hopes high that this truce will work. It would be excellent if that were to happen and only time will tell.
*The report was taken from Associated Press and BBC.
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