Israel, Hamas, Palestinians Agree To Talks

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Source: CBS/AP

(CBS/AP) Egypt's U.N. Ambassador said Wednesday that representatives of Israel, the Palestinians and Hamas have agreed to meet Thursday for talks brokered by Egypt in Cairo.

Maged Abdelaziz said "representatives from all sides" in the Israeli-Hamas conflict would begin technical discussions.

"Everybody has agreed to send a technical delegation" for talks on the Egyptian-French truce proposal, whose terms still remain unclear, he said.

"The issue here is that for anything to start, there has to be some positive move. And the positive move is the cease-fire," he said, referring to the U.N. and Gaza.

The plan calls for an immediate cease-fire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict for a limited period to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said Israel and the moderate Palestinian Authority - Hamas' rival - accepted the plan though it is not a direct party to the conflict. However, Hamas officials in Syria told CBS News that they could not agree to the plan because it does not guarantee open border crossings or an end to a crippling blockade.

More: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/07/world/main4705784.shtml

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