Hamas denies holding truce talks with Israel

By Nour Abu Eisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Palestinian group Hamas on Monday denied holding any truce talks with Israel.

"We confirm that the siege and sanctions are still ongoing and the Zionist enemy [Israel] didn't abide by the full entitlements of the previous Egypt-brokered negotiations," Hamas said in a statement.

Hamas called on all sides to "assume their responsibilities to stop the siege and lift the sanctions imposed on Gaza Strip, whether from Israel or the Palestinian Authority."

On Sunday, Israeli Channel 12 said that progress had been made in the negotiations for a long-term armistice agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas rejected to stop operations in the West Bank as part of negotiations to conclude a long-term armistice agreement with Israel, the Israeli official Kan channel said on Sunday.

Egypt, UN and Qatar have been leading consultations for several months to reach a truce between the Palestinian factions in Gaza and Israel, based on easing the 12-year-long blockade imposed on the strip in exchange for stopping the protests organized by the Palestinians near the border with Israel.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara