image

Israel-Hamas reach long-term ceasefire arrangement: report

Israel and the Islamist Hamas organization have reportedly reached an understanding regarding a long-term ceasefire arrangement, according to which there will be a gradual easing of the “Gaza blockade” in exchange for an end of all forms of violence emanating from the Palestinian enclave. According to “informed sources” that were quoted by the London-based Al-Hayat daily, Egypt managed to motivate Hamas to end, among others, a weekly Palestinian campaign of violent protests along the Gaza-border fence with Israel, as well as the use of incendiary kites and balloons, which have burnt thousands of acres across southern Israel. While TV7 was not able to confirm this report, which was broadly covered by Israeli and international media outlets, a statement by Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, may have pointed to its possible validity. According to the top Defense official, the Palestinian protests along the southern Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, are expected to “pass more quietly.” Lieberman, however, did not confirm nor deny any Egyptian-mediated arrangement with the terror organizations in Gaza. That said, a source from the Israeli Defense Ministry told TV7 that the Jewish State continues to act in accordance with its declared policy: “quiet will be met with humanitarian relief, while violence will be met with a disproportionate response.” The security source refused to comment, however, on the reports of a cease-fire arrangement, while the Islamist Hamas did not immediately respond to TV7’s request for comment.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt will arrive in Jerusalem next week to attend several high-level-meetings, as part of the Administration’s preparations to reveal its peace plan for the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Greenblatt will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the American envoy is not expected to meet with Palestinian officials, whom are boycotting the US administration since President Donald Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which prompted the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.