RAMALLAH
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah referred on Saturday to what he called "positive indicators" that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had come to an understanding with several leaders on a ceasefire or a truce in Gaza based on the Egyptian ceasefire initiative.
Hamdallah said Abbas would pay a visit to Qatar on Saturday for this purpose.
"President Abbas seeks to put a limit to massacres in the Gaza Strip," Hamdallah said.
"He seeks to usher in an atmosphere suitable for negotiation," he added in a televised address to Palestinians.
The Palestinian Prime Minister did not, however, elaborate on the nature of the understanding the Palestinian Authority President had come to with the aforementioned leaders or who these leaders are.
He called on Palestinians to stand united and forget their differences in order to be able to counter the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
Since July 7, Israel has been pounding the Gaza Strip, home to some 1.8 million Palestinians, with crippling air and naval bombardments with the ostensible aim of halting rocket fire emanating from the strip.
On Thursday night, Israel stepped up its offensive to include ground operations, sending troops into the embattled coastal enclave.
Israel's military operation, dubbed operation "Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against Gaza in the last six years.
At least 341 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 2560 injured in relentless Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health officials.
Egypt on Monday proposed an initiative to bring about ceasefire in Gaza, but the initiative was turned down by the Gaza-based resistance movement Hamas, even as it was approved by Israel
By Qais Abu Samra
www.aa.com.tr/en
