Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 20:00
AFP News Briefs ListIsrael accepts Gaza truce in principle: Egypt
Israel has accepted the principle of a proposed truce in the Gaza Strip, a senior official from Egypt, which has been brokering the negotiations, told his country's official MENA news agency on Tuesday.
"Israeli leaders (have informed us) of their support for and understanding of the Egyptian proposals for a truce," the news agency quoted the official as saying without giving his name.
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman -- who has acted as go-between in the negotiations between Israel and the militants -- conveyed the news to a delegation from the Islamist Hamas group which controls Gaza earlier in the day, the news agency added.
In Jerusalem, the Israeli government spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the Egyptian report.
"As far as we are concerned, we can only indicate that contacts are continuing," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Images
A Palestinian policeman rushes a wounded boy into the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Israel has accepted the principle of a proposed truce in the Gaza Strip, a senior official from Egypt, which has been brokering the negotiations, told his country's official MENA news agency on Tuesday.
© 2007 AFP Mahmud Hams
