Egypt said to ask Israel for brief humanitarian ceasefire

The London-based Arabic-language Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news site reports that Egypt is seeking a brief humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but that the idea is on hold apparently because the Palestine side won’t agree to Israel’s condition that all rocket fire and West Bank violence stops for the duration of the ceasefire.

Citing Egyptian sources, the paper says the ceasefire would last a few hours to allow rescuers to rescue anyone found trapped in rubble where buildings were destroyed, and to recover bodies of those killed.

Israel, the paper reports, “is intransigent,” conditioning its participation in the complete cessation of hostilities by Palestinian factions.

The Egyptian proposal was reportedly presented by Egypt’s intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Kamel to Mossad head Yossi Cohen.