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Hamas says no talks on captive before ceasefire

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-03 20:44

GAZA  -- Talks to release an Israeli soldier held hostage by Hamas will not begin unless Israel fully commits itself to Gaza ceasefire, a Hamas official said on Thursday.

In the coming two days, Hamas will assess Israel's commitment to the ceasefire according to the amounts of goods the Jewish state allows into Gaza, said Osama al-Muzini, a Hamas leader close to the file of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

Last Tuesday, Egypt invited Hamas to Cairo to hold indirect talks with Israel about Shalit but the Islamic movement " apologized because it rejects to start new discussions before the previous understandings are applies, especially the issue of lull, " al-Muzini revealed.

On June 19, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took hold in Gaza Strip. According to the deal, Israel has to stop its attacks and remove economic sanctions on Gaza in exchange for halting Palestinian rocket fire into Israel.

But the amounts of products and fuel that Israel allowed into Gaza after the ceasefire took hold, says al-Muzini, "prove that the Israeli side still evading from implementing its obligations."

Hamas led a cross-border attack in June 2006 and captured the Israeli corporal. Hamas demands to exchange him for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in addition to jailed women, children, old and patients.

Israel tightened the economic embargo on Gaza after Shalit's kidnapping but fully sealed off the Gaza Strip a year later when Hamas seized control of the whole territory.