Arabic daily: Egyptian president talks Abbas into Israeli-Hamas ceasefire

Egypt’s president convinced PA President Abbas to OK a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, an Arabic daily reports.

By World Israel News Staff

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi succeeded in convincing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to sign off on a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Thursday.

Al-Sisi met with Abbas in Sharm al-Sheikh on Saturday. Al-Sisi laid out the efforts Egypt had made to bring about a truce between Israel and Hamas. He also said the moment offered an opportunity to give the residents of the Gaza Strip some breathing room.

Abbas agreed on condition that the truce take place in two stages – the first in two to three weeks and the second in six months.

In the first stage, according to the report Israel will transfer $90 million supplied by the Qatari government to the Gaza Strip in order to pay Hamas salaries. Israel reportedly says this must be done under U.N. auspices. Israel will also agree to expand exports from the Gaza Strip.

Last week (Nov. 3), a Lebanese paper with close ties to Hamas printed a copy of the main points of a draft deal between Israel and Hamas.

A7The Al-Hayat newspaper reported on Thursday that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to allow the truce between Hamas and Israel to be signed. Among the 10 points outlined, Israel will allow 5,000 Gazans to work in Israel, Hamas will end riots on the border and employment projects will be launched to employ 30,000 university graduates in Gaza.