Gaza/Ramallah(dpa) - Officials from the rival Hamas and Fatah factions on Sunday were finalizing the details of a ceasefire reached the day before, as both sides agreed the deal was so far taking hold as planned.
The agreement comes after several previous ceasefires had been violated in the past week of inter-Palestinian fighting, which has left more than 50 people dead.
Abdel Hakim Awad, a spokesman for Fatah, told reporters in Gaza that the deal, reached Saturday, was taking hold and no violations were noticed.
The meeting Sunday discussed ways of reinforcing the ceasefire on the ground and returning 'personal possessions' that were confiscated during the fighting, said Awad. He added that the two sides will continue to implement the agreement that called for withdrawing gunmen and snipers from the streets and removing checkpoints. Sources at the Egyptian embassy in Gaza City where the two sides were meeting said Hamas and Fatah have exchanged about 30 hostages and planned to release the remaining captives the same day. Earlier Sunday, the Palestinian presidency denied reports that the Palestinian Authority was participating in US-led efforts to bolster forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah movement. Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaina made the denial after Israel's Haaretz daily reported that the US was pressing Israel to help boost Abbas' forces engaged the fighting with Hamas. 'These reports are part of the Israeli attempts to keep Gaza tense, especially after we reached a ceasefire deal,' Abu Rudaina said.
Source : news.monstersandcritics.com
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