Hamas leaders have reportedly agreed to an Egyptian ceasefire proposal, but with reservations. Egyptian officials told Arabic-language media that a visiting Hamas delegation accepted the ceasefire proposal on Wednesday after making some amendments and was returning to Damascus to brief Hamas leaders there. During the visit, Hamas officials met in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials, including intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. Hamas representative Salah al Bardawil said during a news conference in Cairo that his organization was seeking clarification on the meaning of several clauses in the plan and has offered its own interpretations.
He said Hamas was demanding that Israel, which he called "the Zionist enemy," halt aggression against Hamas, pull all Israeli forces out of Gaza and open the border crossings. Jerusalem had no immediate reaction to the news, but Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, defense minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni were reportedly meeting to discuss the development. A top Israeli Defense Ministry official, Amos Gilad, was expected in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the Egyptian ceasefire proposal.
Meanwhile, German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has returned to the Middle East to help mediate in the Gaza conflict. In Jerusalem, he met Israel’s president Shimon Peres. Steinmeier is also due to meet Israeli defense minister Barak and foreign minister Livni. Diplomatic sources said Steinmeier will visit Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah before travelling to Egypt. Prior to leaving Europe for the Middle East, Steinmeier and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner issued a joint statement, saying that their governments were prepared to support arrangements for a durable ceasefire. This included measures to prevent illicit arms trafficking into the Hamas-ruled enclave as well as the regular opening of crossing points.
