Egypt is continuing its talks with representatives of Palestinian factions today to reach a truce and confirm the ceasefire. Ayman Taha, Hamas spokesman and member of the delegation in Cairo, said Israel has proposed an automatically-renewable 18-month truce. He said Hamas was studying the proposal in detail and would give its response to the Egyptian officials after internal consultations. He added that the Egyptian Minister Omar Suleiman had thoroughly discussed the truce yesterday with the movement. He then said Israel had proposed a truce lasting between 10 and 15 years, but Hamas had refused and demanded a one-year truce instead. Taha said the talks focused on reconstruction, as the movement told Suleiman that this issue was of paramount importance. He also said Hamas was ready to be as flexible as possible over this issue but would not allow it to be politicized or used for political blackmails. With regard to the Israeli soldier being kept prisoner, Gilad Shalit, Taha said the issue had not been discussed during the talks between Hamas and Suleiman, adding that Israel had instead mentioned it in its talks. "The minister refused to discuss this issue… and Hamas won't allow Israel to use Shalit in the truce and link him to the lifting of the blockade" Taha said. Regarding the Rafah border crossing, he said: "This is a complicated and thorny issue. We put forward ideas to open the crossing with the temporary presence in Gaza of international observers and national security forces until the unity government is formed, but we haven't received any answer so far". Meanwhile, a diplomatic source said Egypt did not object to the presence of a French or US frigate to control the coasts of Gaza and prevent the smuggling of weapons toward the Strip, providing that such frigate remained in international waters away from the Egyptian territory. Riyadh al-Malaki, foreign minister in the Palestinian caretaker government, said the Palestinian Authority was ready to take the responsibility for the border crossings in the Gaza Strip with international forces there. For their part, the international forces said they were ready to oversee the distribution of aid among Gaza's local residents.
