Palestinian rivals of Hamas and Fatah movements met again at the
Egyptian embassy in Gaza city on Sunday to assess the situation a
day after they reached a ceasefire.
Abdel Hakim Awad, a spokesman for Fatah movement, told reporters
in Gaza that the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal has being taken
hold as planned and no violations were found.
The second meeting discussed ways of reinforcing the ceasefire
on the ground and to return "personal possessions" that were
confiscated during six days of bloody fighting between the two
rivals who share one government, said Awad.
He added that the two sides would also continue the
implementation of the final agreement that called for withdrawing
gunmen from streets, removing checkpoints and displacing snipers
from high roofs.
Sources at the Egyptian embassy said Hamas and Fatah have
exchanged about 30 hostages and would release the other captives in
the day.
So far, at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the worst ever
strife between the two factions where four previous ceasefire deals
failed to take hold or stop the feud.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2007)
