"The current Israeli
government is the weakest in the country's history," Hamas
spokesman Mushir al-Masri said Wednesday ahead of the national security cabinet's crucial meeting regarding possible Israeli responses to the situation in Gaza.
| Hamas Politburo Chief |
|
| Mashaal: Israel impeding talks to free Shalit / Ynet |
|
Exiled Hamas politburo chief tells Paris-based network is 'Olmert and his team who are putting up the barricades and not listening to our demands,' insists Shalit will be released immediately after Israel frees Palestinian prisoners detailed on list passed to Egyptian mediators |
| Full Story |
|
|
|
"The Israelis are unable to deal with the Palestinian organizations and the rockets," he said, "they know they cannot launch a wide-scale operation in Gaza because (if they do) the Strip will become a graveyard for Israeli soldiers."
Despite the threats, al-Masri stressed that Hamas was willing to reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel "that would include the lifting of the blockade on Gaza".
Israel's national security cabinet, consisting of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met Tuesday with senior security establishment officials to discuss the possibility of an IDF operation in the Strip.
The cabinet members estimate that a military confrontation with Palestinian terror groups in the coastal enclave is inevitable. Barak claims the timing of such an operation must be determined with caution so as not to impede the efforts to release kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
Senior Palestinian sources in Gaza claimed on Tuesday that Egypt has increased its pressure on Hamas to submit a new list of prisoners it wants released as part of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement with Israel that would include Shalit's release.
Hamas' original list of 300 prisoners was, for the most part, rejected by Israel. According to Palestinian sources, Israel has agreed to release 71 prisoners "with blood on their hands".
"Now Egypt expects Hamas to become more flexible, agree to Israel's request and transfer another list of prisoners," one of the sources said. Some 11,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently being held by Israel. Hamas demands the release of 450 of them in the framework of any exchange deal.
RSS
