Yassin Says Hamas to Halt Attacks against Israelis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 28, 2003

Yassin Says Hamas to Halt Attacks against Israelis

Hamas spiritual leader Shiekh Ahmed Yassin said Friday that the movement will halt attacks against Israelis, al-Jazeera TV reported. "Hamas has reached an internal decision to give truce deal a chance, based on studies of the latest developments on international and Palestinian arena," Yassin told reporters in Gaza.

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Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin said Friday that the movement will halt attacks against Israelis, al-Jazeera TV reported.

"Hamas has reached an internal decision to give truce deal a chance, based on studies of the latest developments on international and Palestinian arena," Yassin told reporters in Gaza.

Though the biggest Palestinian militant group accepted ceasefire, it was still making consultations with other factions, according to Yassin.

"Hamas does not want to make public the declaration unilaterally and that is why we presented our decision to other factions to give them a say," Yassin said.

"Hamas is not alone on the Palestinian arena," he said. "We want to share our views with other factions before signing an official collective statement in the coming few days."

Asked about the date of declaration, Yassin said: "We will declare ceasefire soon in a statement signed by all factions after reaching a consensus."

When queried about whether the government of Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas was informed, Yassin said: "Generally speaking, we told them of the framework of the ceasefire without details. We need to sit together and discuss them."

Hamas, a radical group that is opposed to any peace deal with Israel and has been carrying out many armed attacks against Israeli targets, was branded an "enemy of peace" by US Secretary of State Colin Powell last week.

The Abbas government has been making active contacts with it and other factions to persuade them to reach a ceasefire with Israel.

Earlier on Friday, four Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army in its fresh incursion into the Gaza Strip. In the same operation, an Israeli soldier was killed in an explosion.

US welcomes Hamas truce with Israel

The United States on Friday welcomed a truce by the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a first "useful step" towards peace in the Middle East.

"We certainly would welcome that first step towards the end to violence and terror," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters at a regular press briefing.

"It would need to be followed by other steps to dismantle the capabilities but we certainly believe that that could be a useful step to see in the coming days," Boucher said.

"We see a comprehensive cessation of violence and terror as a welcome development but it's not an end in itself, it needs to be the first step," he said.

Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin said Friday that the movement will halt attacks against Israelis for three months, al-Jazeera TV reported.

"Hamas has reached an internal decision to give truce deal achance, based on studies of the latest developments on international and Palestinian arena," Yassin told reporters inGaza.

Though the biggest Palestinian militant group accepted cease-fire, it was still making consultations with other factions,according to Yassin. And Palestinian officials said an official announcement of a cease-fire is not expected before Sunday.

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