Arab media reports Gaza-based Hamas leaders in favor of indirect lines of communication with Israel to discuss a 5-year cease-fire, while the wealthy, jet-set Hamas leaders residing abroad remain opposed.
Israel asked European officials to serve as arbitrators in talks with Islamist terrorist group Hamas on the return of remains of IDF soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge last summer, al-Araby al-Jadeed reported Monday.
According to the London-based news outlet, senior Hamas officials said they refused to discuss the issue so long as Israel still holds prisoners who were released in the 2011 Gilad Schalit prisoner exchange, but were later rearrested.
Meanwhile, Arab media outlets reported that Hamas leaders are conflicted over whether to have indirect lines of communication with Israel to discuss a five-year cease-fire. It was recently reported that Qatari officials contacted Israel on behalf of Hamas and offered to mediate a long-term cease-fire agreement. While Hamas leaders in Gaza were in favor of this initiative — Hamas leaders abroad remain opposed to any negotiations that could bring about a long-term cease-fire.
View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=24525