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Defense Minister Ehud Barak (right) shaking hands with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman during a meeting in Tel Aviv on May 12. (AP)
Last update - 13:17 20/05/2008
Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza could take effect later this week
By Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff, and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Hamas, Israel 

The cease-fire (tahdiyeh) being negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip is expected to go into effect in a number of days, following developments at the end of meetings held by Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday with the Egyptian leadership.

The Egyptian Chief of Intelligence, General Omar Suleiman, who has been mediating between the parties, is scheduled to meet Tueday with the heads of the Palestinian factions in the Strip.

Israel is waiting to learn from Suleiman whether the Palestinian groups, headed by Hamas, will agree to an unofficial deal on a cessation of terrorist activities in the strip, in return for an end to IDF attacks.
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Israel does not intend to officially announce that it has accepted the tahdiyeh deal, but will let the situation unfold gradually - and evaluate the indirect accord with Hamas on the basis of results on the ground.

Tuesday's meeting between Suleiman and a Hamas-led delegation from the Gaza Strip headed by the deputy head of the group's politburo, Mussa Abu Marzouk, is critical to whether the cease-fire deal will be closed.

Suleiman will present Israel's position on the cease-fire and its other demands to the Hamas representatives.

According to Egyptian sources, Hamas will find the Israeli position acceptable.

Suleiman will meet with Israeli officials following the meeting with Hamas, and a decision will be made on H-hour, the point at which the cease-fire will go into effect.

Barak on Monday met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Suleiman, Foreign Minister Ahmad Aboul Gheit, and Defense Minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.

During his meetings, Barak presented the Egyptians with Israel's conditions for a cease-fire with the Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip.

Barak broke down the stages of the cease-fire, and said that the IDF will conduct itself within an agreement for "security calm" only after a complete cessation of the Qassam rocket attacks targetting communities in the western Negev, as well as all terrorist attacks originating in the Strip.

Israel is also demanding that at this stage Hamas cease smuggling weapons, funds and persons trained in paramilitary activities.

The Egyptians told Barak that they will step up their efforts to prevent weapons smuggling from Sinai into the Strip, and claimed that they are already seeing a major improvement.

Last year the two sides agreed to set up a hotline for dealing with problems along the border, but this has yet to materialize.

However, the issue of smuggling was the subject of discussion for officers and officials from both sides at a recent meeting.

Egyptian sources said that Israel presented a position that offers the cease-fire agreement real chances of success.

"Both sides, Hamas and Israel, appear interested in the cease-fire," the Egyptian source said.

However, Barak also warned that "if the rocket attacks on the western Negev communities and the terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip continue, this may accelerate the downward spiral toward a military confrontation between Israel and Hamas in the Strip."

The defense minister insisted that even if there is a cease-fire in the Strip, Israel will retain the freedom of action in the West Bank.

Barak also presented the Egyptians with another demand: "Israel is asking for furthering and accelerating the negotiations for the release of the abducted soldier Gilad Shalit as part of the overall process of settling the situation in the area [the Gaza Strip]."

Egyptian sources said that Israel did not condition the agreement for a cease-fire on the release of the abducted soldier, but added that Israel would like to renew efforts to restart the frozen process of releasing prisoners.

Egypt has made it clear that if the cease-fire agreement is accepted, then the efforts for the release of Shalit will pick up pace.

A senior Hamas source said yesterday that the Egyptians have not tried to link the question of Shalit and the cease-fire. The same source said that the Hamas does not believe Israel will foil the tahdiyeh over Shalit.

"It is a very complicated issue that may delay the cease-fire for weeks," he said.

Related articles:
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  • Olmert to Egypt: No Gaza truce if Shalit is not released
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      1.   and the Government COULD protect its citizens... 03:07  |  Avi 20/05/08
      2.   Cease-Fire Must INCLUDE BOTH Gaza Strip and the West Bank!!!!!!!! 03:07  |  MOE 20/05/08
      3.   Gaza needs to be punished MORE - NO CEASE FIRE 03:13  |  *BEN JABO 20/05/08
      4.   What about Gilad Shalit? 03:29  |  bat yam 20/05/08
      5.   in return for end to ITF terrorism, the Pals will agree to stop 03:32  |  Sam (UK) 20/05/08
      6.   "only after a complete cessation of the Qassam rocket attacks" 03:32  |  Akiva P 20/05/08
      7.   Olmert has to go 03:52  |  Gili 20/05/08
      8.   More evidence yet that Hamas is governing 04:35  |  BBSNews 20/05/08
      9.   The so-called critical decision on Gaza is near – now I get 04:43  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 20/05/08
      10.   If we think back 04:48  |  Mark Lincoln 20/05/08
      11.   gaza 04:51  |  azad 20/05/08
      12.   Olmert is surrendering to Hamas to divert from corruption news 04:52  |  ROB SCHWARTZ 20/05/08
      13.   Hamas can`t be trusted 05:10  |  Conroy 20/05/08
      14.   Only a Divine Bomb can annihilate Israel Enemy 06:18  |  Shimon Cleopas 20/05/08
      15.   ISRAEL WILL LOOSE TIME, AND... 07:23  |  BOB KING 20/05/08
      16.   What about Gilad Shalit? 07:59  |  bat yam 20/05/08
      17.   Egypt is a one sided Arab supporter. 08:14  |  Jean Van Daem 20/05/08
      18.   It`s not rain 08:26  |  Cla 20/05/08
      19.   Gaza cease-fire will NOT take effect soon 08:26  |  isratinian 20/05/08
      20.   It seems that Israel is one-sided Arab supporter 08:31  |  Vladimir 20/05/08
      21.   Olmert, please go home. Barak, please go home. 09:32  |  MR 20/05/08
      22.   azad 11 11:31  |  ChanahS 20/05/08
      23.   No Shalit, No Ceasefire!!! 11:41  |  Gabi 20/05/08
      24.   #5 to so-called Sam in the UK 11:49  |  Hastaroth 20/05/08
      25.   Sam in UK # 5 - Funny 12:08  |  ChanahS 20/05/08
      26.   WE ARE "DROPPING" SHALIT 12:25  |  Robert 20/05/08
      27.   MOE, can you really ... 13:08  |  Avi 20/05/08
      28.   This ceasefire will only hold if Israel lifts its Blockade 13:37  |  Clickfool 20/05/08
      29.   To #5 Sam (UK) 13:50  |  Levi 20/05/08
      30.   we are letting them have what they want 14:02  |  Joey 20/05/08
      31.   # 6 Akiva P..I agree with you an all points.Sorry to say Hamas Is 14:06  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      32.   # 13 Conroy..Hamas can`t be trusted 14:10  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      33.   Ending of the ceasefire in both Gaza & the West Bank,followed by 14:17  |  lakshmi 20/05/08
      34.   # 17 Jean Van Daem..Egypt is a one sided Arab supporter 14:18  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      35.   #5 Sam U.K Think About the Terrorists In good ole Britain before 14:26  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      36.   # 29 Levi from Karmiel..On this very Long List Of Yours: 14:32  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      37.   Israel finally coming to its senses 14:34  |  Tosefta 20/05/08
      38.   Finally some common sense seems to prevail in Israel...... 14:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/05/08
      39.   # 37 Tosefta Israel finally coming to its senses,NOT I FEAR! 15:06  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      40.   # 37 Tosefta 15:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/05/08
      41.   If Gilad Shalit is not released, if the qassams continue to fall, 15:14  |  Haviva 20/05/08
      42.   Does Haaretz Edit? 15:20  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/05/08
      43.   #37 Tosefta, Very Well Argued 15:23  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/05/08
      44.   Jean van Daem`s Zionist Propaganda Blog # 17 15:26  |  Clickfool 20/05/08
      45.   There is only one way - FORWARD 15:36  |  Tzfonit 20/05/08
      46.   You Mean the Hamas Rearming Hudna 15:54  |  Jane 20/05/08
      47.   But what does this mean 16:07  |  Jackie 20/05/08
      48.   I am glad, but worried (Swiss #40) 16:09  |  Tosefta 20/05/08
      49.   Jane . In the immortal words of J.Lennon 16:20  |  krishna 20/05/08
      50.   A question for Tosefta 16:28  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 20/05/08
      51.   ZERO TOLERANCE one violation and truce iss over 16:44  |  jewish doctor 20/05/08
      52.   Israel cannot afford to have Shalit released (Tzfonit #45) 16:44  |  Tosefta 20/05/08
      53.   Well, It`s Worth A Try 16:45  |  Jeff Northridge 20/05/08
      54.   #45 Clikfool, what is the matter with you?" 17:27  |  Robert/Montreal 20/05/08
      55.   I fear the worse for Mr Shalit. A soldier who served his country 17:30  |  Robert/Montreal 20/05/08
      56.   The anti-rocket system and a cease fire (Darth Zaider #50) 17:34  |  Tosefta 20/05/08
      57.   Hamas showed more responsibility than Israel by offering a 17:50  |  Jaffar 20/05/08
      58.   # 56 Tosefta 17:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/05/08
      59.   #57 Jaffar NJ 18:27  |  * BEN JABO 20/05/08
      60.   A Truce? before the Founding of a `Palestinian State`....? 18:37  |  The Onlooker 20/05/08
      61.   Jaffar NJ..Civilized Hamas 18:39  |  Jabotinsky 20/05/08
      62.   If not now when!!! 18:50  |  Daniel 20/05/08
      63.   # 40 Swiss (Dino) re:Tosefta..Don`t be Ridiculous! 18:56  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      64.   Israel-Hamas TALKS--No Shame 19:01  |  Ray 20/05/08
      65.   Krishna - This Will Not Bring Peace 19:06  |  Jane 20/05/08
      66.   #5 SAM(UK) ARE YOU NEW LABOUR,SAM?? 19:18  |  Ian 20/05/08
      67.   How Can This Government Make A Truce Without Shalit 19:25  |  Dish It Out 20/05/08
      68.   # 65 Jane.A Horse is a Horse,Of Course,Of Course., 19:28  |  KATHY 20/05/08
      69.   # 60 The Queensland Onlooker ...Well I for One 19:39  |  KATHY