Al Akhbar publishes draft of Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
Among the initial provisions published by the Hamas-affiliated Lebanese newspaper, the terror organization commits to restrain violence demonstrated during weekly 'March of Return' riots, punishing those violating its orders; in exchange, Israel will grant 5,000 Palestinians work permits, and Egypt will work to lift 70% of the siege on the coastal enclave.
The Hamas-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar published Saturday an initial draft of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, including ten provisions, with every provision constituting a condition for the next one.
The clauses of the draft are as follows:
1. Hamas will restrain the riots along the Gaza border fence, punishing protesters violating the terror organization's orders.
2. Cessation of Monday's weekly demonstrations—including the flotillas embarking from Gaza towards the strip's naval border with Israel—in northern Gaza near Kibbutz Zikim.
3. The continuation of the "March of Return" campaign in its non-violent manner form until the end of the year.
4. Egypt will work to lift 70 percent of the siege imposed on Gaza until the complete termination of the riots.
5. Gaza's fishing zone will increase up to 14 nautical miles.
6. The strip's crossings will open permanently, and 5,000 Gazans under the age of 40 will be granted work permits allowing them to be employed in Israel.
The work permits will be granted only after the Palestinian Authority pays 80 percents of the salaries of Gaza's government workers, and agrees that Qatar pays the salaries of Hamas officials.
7. Egypt will work to implement the prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, on which currently negotiations talks are not being held.
8. A calm of at least three years on the Gaza border under international supervision under the auspices of the United Nations and Russia.
9. A permanent opening of the Rafah crossing and additional crossings for transferring goods into Gaza in order to support the strip's power station and infrastructures.
10. Launching projects meant to provide 30,000 work places for universities graduates in Gaza.
The draft is yet to be finalized, since both sides are still holding negotiations talks.
On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met in Sharm el-Sheikh as part of Egypt's efforts to forge a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
Neither of the sides elaborated what was achieved in the meeting. However, according to Palestinian sources, al-Sisi attempted to prevent possibles obstacles the Palestinian president might set to curb the ceasefire deal, which the Palestinian Authority is not a part of.
On Friday, amid the talks held to achieve calm on the Gaza border fence, merely several hundreds of demonstrators took part in the riots in five locations along the security fence.
Security forces were deployed along the border, and at times tear gas was used against the rioters.
Meanwhile, since Friday afternoon, fires caused by incendiary balloons have not erupted across the Gaza border communities.
Egyptian intelligence officials, who are investing efforts in mediating between Israel and Hamas, arrived at one of the demonstrations sites to closely examine whether the violence is decreasing along the security fence.
