Hamas warily eyes proposals for long-term truce with Israel
Negotiations are ongoing between Hamas and international envoys on a potential 15-year truce with Israel, a plan some Hamas and Fatah figures see as a way to split the Gaza Strip from the West Bank.
As soon as the war ended in late August 2014, the Gaza Strip became a destination for international envoys wanting to negotiate lifting the siege and opening the border crossings as well as discuss the future of the reconciliation government.
Among the most prominent visitors was UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Oct. 14), Quartet envoy Tony Blair (Feb.15), President of the Qatari National Committee for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip Mohammed Al-Emadi (March 9), Swiss Ambassador to the Palestinian Authority (PA) Paul Garnier (March 23) and a German diplomatic delegation (April 1).
But now a new issue is being raised by international envoys in their meetings with Hamas’ leadership in Gaza: reaching a long-term truce with Israel that could span several years.
Hamas' foreign relations head Bassem Naim told Al-Monitor, “Hamas received various international proposals to discuss the current truce with Israel and extend it for three to five years in exchange for lifting the siege imposed on Gaza, allowing reconstruction and building the sea and air ports.”
