Hamas’s rejection of Israeli overtures to extend saturday’s humanitarian truce is less a function of the ceasefire’s usefulness and more a question of honor and face-saving for the Islamist group, TOI Arab affairs correspondent Elhanan Miller writes.
Hamas does not want to be “tricked” by the humanitarian ceasefire, claims an article in Hamas’s daily. “Perhaps that explains Hamas’s refusal regarding the four-hour extension,” the article’s author surmises.
“Hamas — and the other factions behind it — want a final agreement assuring an end to the aggression and a removal of the siege. In short, it insists on realizing an ‘honorable agreement’ worthy of the blood shed on Gaza’s soil.”
Palestinians pass by destroyed houses after they salvage usable things in their belongings found at their destroyed houses during a 12-hour cease-fire in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, Saturday, July 26, 2014. (Photo credit: AP/Khalil Hamra)
Shortly after midnight, the Israeli cabinet approved a UN request to extend the humanitarian ceasefire by an additional 24 hours. Palestinian journalist Yasser Zaatreh explained on Twitter the rationale behind Hamas’s rejection of the Israeli move.
“This is an [Israeli] attempt to improve its ugly image,” Zaatreh informed his 326,000 followers. “The international awakening is unnerving the Zionists.”
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, July 27, 2014
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