Hamas formally rejects Egypt's ceasefire proposal, slams 'Arab betrayal'

Gaza, July 17: The

on Wednesday formally rejected

's proposal for a

. Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesperson of the extremist group, said the Egyptian's initiative presented on Monday fulfilled none of Palestine's demands and would have only took the situation back to square one.

Zuhri did not divulge Hamas's conditions but it had indicated at immediate Halt of Israeli operations and easing of its blockade on Gaza, release of hundreds of its activists who were arrested in the occupied West Bank during Israel's search for three abducted Jewish seminary students.

Hamas slammed Arab leaders for not taking up the issue of the Gazans

the payment of salaries to the group's civil servants and others. The refusal of the Egyptian proposal negated earlier reports whereby Hamas agreed to a decade-long ceasefire in return for Israeli soft stances. Zuhri said Hamas was not scared of Israeli Prime Minister Banjamin Netanyahu's threats and warned that Israel would pay the price for the occupation.

The Hamas spokesperson also slammed Arab leaders for not taking up the issue of the Gazans and said they felt betrayed by official Arab regimes.

4 boys playing on Gaza beach killed by Israel shells

On Wednesday, four boys aged under 15 were killed in Israeli shelling on a Gaza beach, a local health official said and Palestinian militants fired 70 more rockets into Israel. According to witnesses, the boys were playing on the beach when the attacks occurred. One boy was killed in the first hit while three others died after being hit by the second shell.

Oneindia News