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<h1 class="article-title">Egypt claims to have brokered ceasefire
agreement; Palestinian factions say they were not consulted</h1>
<div class="article-subtitledetails">
<span class="article-details">
<span class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part1.04010004.01060109@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> Tuesday July 15, 2014 11:13</span><span
class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part2.05000808.08020208@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> by <a style=""
href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ih/9781156469613"
class="skimwords-link" target="_blank" data-skimwords-id="1"
data-skimlinks-editor="0"
data-skimwords-word="Celine%20Hagbard" data-group-id="91328"
data-skim-creative="300004" data-skim-product="1"
title="Shopping link added by SkimWords" occurrence="1"
data-skim-node-id="30:byCelineHagbard-IMEM_1">Celine Hagbard</a><span
style="position: absolute;"></span><span style="position:
absolute;"></span> -<b><small><small><small>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.imemc.org/article/68481">http://www.imemc.org/article/68481</a></small></small></small></b></span></span></div>
<blockquote class="article-intro">The Israeli security cabinet
reportedly agreed to a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday proposed by
the Egyptian government, but leaders with the Palestinian
resistance said that no one had contacted them to negotiate any
ceasefire.</blockquote>
According to Israeli military reports, the alleged ceasefire
proposal would require the Israeli military to end its aerial and
naval bombardment of the Gaza Strip that has been constant for the
past week, while Palestinian armed factions would be required to
stop firing homemade shells into Israel.<br>
<br>
Despite claims of having agreed to a ceasefire, Israeli bombardment
continued to pound Gaza on Tuesday morning.<br>
<br>
The armed wing of the Hamas party, the Izz-al Deen al-Qassam
Brigades, claimed that the ceasefire agreement amounted to a
‘surrender’, and that no representative of Hamas or any other armed
resistance group had been involved in the negotiations. Therefore,
the group said, they would continue their resistance to Israeli
aggression in Gaza.<br>
<br>
The supposed agreement does not meet the four key elements
reiterated by Hamas leaders in recent days. These requirements
include the lifting of the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip, which
has led to the unemployment rate of 80%, the sealing of all borders
and the prevention of aid, construction materials and fuel, as well
as staple goods, from entering Gaza.<br>
<br>
<a style="" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ih/9781157611400"
class="skimwords-link" target="_blank" data-skimwords-id="1"
data-skimlinks-editor="0" data-skimwords-word="Ismail%20Haniyeh"
data-group-id="1043208" data-skim-creative="300004"
data-skim-product="1" title="Shopping link added by SkimWords"
occurrence="1" data-skim-node-id="283:IsmailHaniyeh,theele_1">Ismail
Haniyeh</a><span style="position: absolute;"></span><span
style="position: absolute;"></span>, the elected Prime Minister of
the Palestinians people who has not been recognized by Israel
because of his association with the Hamas party, said on Monday,
"The Gaza blockade must be lifted so that our people live in freedom
like all other peoples around the world.”<br>
<br>
Egyptian officials negotiated with Israel, apparently without
involving Palestinians in the negotiation of the proposed ceasefire.
Despite the lack of involvement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
with the Fateh party urged rival parties to accept the agreement.<br>
<br>
Hamas officials stated over the weekend that Egypt was an
unacceptable negotiator for any ceasefire negotiations, and only
Turkey or Qatar could be considered as potential negotiators of a
ceasefire.<br>
<br>
Egypt’s President <a style=""
href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ih/9786136880945"
class="skimwords-link" target="_blank" data-skimwords-id="1"
data-skimlinks-editor="0" data-skimwords-word="Abdel%20Fattah"
data-group-id="594698" data-skim-creative="300004"
data-skim-product="1" title="Shopping link added by SkimWords"
occurrence="1" data-skim-node-id="366:Egypt’sPresidentAbde_1">Abdel
Fattah</a><span style="position: absolute;"></span><span
style="position: absolute;"></span> al-Sisi has kept the Egyptian
border with Gaza closed over the last week, apart from one opening
to allow critically wounded patients through. This has led to
widespread disapproval of Egypt as a negotiator among the
Palestinian populace of Gaza, who have not had any way to escape the
near-constant bombardment that began on July 8th.<br>
<br>
In the two weeks prior to July 8th, 13 Palestinians had been killed
by Israeli soldiers and settlers.<br>
<br>
In the week since, 195 Palestinians have been killed, including
three babies under age two, and several families that were totally
wiped out. <br>
<br>
2 Israeli girls were wounded on Monday night by a Palestinian shell,
the first such injuries in the week of escalation. One of them, age
10, was wounded critically, according to Israeli sources.<br>
<br>
Over the past week of escalation, at least 1,385 Palestinians have
been wounded, many with head injuries, amputated limbs, permanent
disabilities and embedded shrapnel. They include a four-day old
infant, who was critically wounded by Israeli forces on Tuesday
morning.<br>
<br>
More than 180 Palestinians have been killed and 1,385 injured since
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge against Gaza exactly a
week ago.<br>
<br>
Early on Tuesday evening, as Operation Protective Edge entered its
second week, Israeli air strikes and rocket continued to strike Gaza
even while reports of the ceasefire began to emerge.<br>
<br>
Hamas rockets also continued to fly toward Israel where they have
largely caused minor injuries and damage. Monday evening saw the
most serious incident of the week-long conflict so far with two
sisters – aged 10 and 13 – being hospitalised following a rocket
attack. The younger sister, 10-year-old Maram Wakili remains in
critical condition.
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