Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh said on Friday the Islamist group would not stop smuggling activities in the territory. Stopping smuggling is a central Israeli demand in an Egyptian-brokered Gaza cease-fire agreed between Israel and Hamas that came into force on Thursday.
Militant groups smuggle arms and ammunitions into Gaza through tunnels across the border with Egypt and on boats along the coast. Israel has also demanded Egypt step up efforts stop the flow of arms into Gaza. "We cannot talk about stopping smuggling because it is something beyond our ability as a government and we did not give a commitment in this regard," Haniyeh told worshippers before Friday prayers in Gaza City.
Haniyeh also said Hamas would not to impose the truce by force on other Gaza militant groups, but added that other groups had agreed to the deal voluntarily. Egypt, who spent months working on the agreement, said it would step up efforts to crackdown on smuggling.
Mark Regev, spokesman to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said the cease-fire agreement included an end to attacks on Israel by all militant groups and a complete end to arms smuggling. "Anyone who says otherwise apparently wants to destroy the calm before it has a chance to really succeed," Regev said.
Israel and Hamas halted fighting in the Gaza Strip on Thursday but, with wider peace prospects hazy, both sides voiced doubt over how long the calm could last. Israel also said the truce must include movement in the case of an Israeli soldier captured by Gaza militants two years ago. Haniyeh blamed Israel for delaying progress in reaching a prisoner swap deal to release Sergeant Gilad Shalit.
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