Haniyeh says Israel violating truce
Photo: AFP
Haniyeh: Israel must lift Gaza siege
Hamas leader accuses Israel of violating Gaza ceasefire, demands opening of crossings
Blaming Israel, again: Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of Hamas-ruled Gaza, accused Israel Friday of not living up to its part of the Gaza Strip truce.
"We still say that maintaining the calm is a national interest, but the Israelis must commit to lifting the siege and opening the crossings," Haniyeh told reporters after Friday prayers at a Gaza mosque.
Earlier, Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said talks on freeing abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit were frozen.
"The Hamas movement has decided to suspend the talks on the captured soldier Gilad Shalit because Israel has violated the calm agreement by closing the crossings," Abu Zuhri told Associated Press Television News.
On Thursday, a senior Hamas figure said the Islamist group refuses to pass on any additional signs of life, including tapes and letters, from Shalit as long as Israel remains adamant in its prerequisites for a prisoner exchange deal.
Osama al-Muzaini accused Israel of obstructing a possible prisoner swap under Egyptian mediation, saying "we've forced the enemy to accept our demands, but if the Israelis insist on not accepting them, we can hold on to Shalit for 20 years and never grow weary."
Ali Waked contributed to the report
