EGYPTIANS AND PALESTINIANS MEET ON GAZA CEASEFIRE

Cairo, 8 Shawwal 1435/4 August 2014 (MINA) – Egyptian officials met Sunday with a visiting Palestinian delegation to discuss efforts aiming at bringing about a ceasefire in the blockaded Gaza Strip, which has been reeling under Israeli occupation regime forces attacks since July 7.

“The meeting is currently underway,” Qais Abdel-Karim, a member of the delegation, told Anadolu Agency on Sunday as quoted by Mi’raj islamic News Agency (MINA).

The delegation, which represents all Palestinian movements including Hamas, was invited to Cairo late on Thursday following an announcement by the U.N. and the U.S. that they had received assurances from the Palestinians and the Israelis of their readiness for a ceasefire in Gaza and dialogue in Cairo on a durable calm.

Abdel-Karim told AA earlier that the Palestinians factions had agreed to a ceasefire on the basis of an Israeli pullout to pre-conflict positions; a lifting of the long-running Israeli siege; allowing Gaza fishermen to work in the sea; removing the buffer zone between Israel and the Gaza Strip; freeing Palestinians recently detained by Israel; and releasing a fourth group of Palestinian detainees as earlier agreed with the Palestinian Authority.

He added that the Palestinian paper in this regard calls for Arab and international guarantees that Israel would honor the agreement and would not attack Gaza again.

Israel has been pounding the blockaded Gaza Strip – home to 1.8 million people – since July 7.

At least 1830 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed and around 9370 others injured in the incessant Israeli attacks.

The Israeli army on Sunday confirmed that 64 troops had been killed and 400 others injured in the ongoing Gaza military operation.

The offensive – codenamed “Operation Protective Edge,” is the self-proclaimed Jewish state’s third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip within the last six years. (T/P09/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)