Hamas: 'No Palestinian agreement on ceasefire'

The Palestine Liberation Organisation declared a ceasefire on Tuesday, hours before a delegation of Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad was set to travel to Cairo to work out the details of an Egyptian truce proposal, reports Israeli daily Haaretz.

However, Israel and Hamas officials rejected the proposal moments after it was declared.

A senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation said earlier that the three groups, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, had agreed on a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire.

Yasser Abed Rabbo also told a press conference in Ramallah that “the leadership and the factions welcome a call from the United Nations for a ceasefire of an extra 72 hours.”

Responding to Rabbo's declaration, Israel has rejected the offer of a 24-hour ceasefire, reports Sky News.

Hamas also publicly rejected the PLO’s offer of a 24-hour truce.

Minutes ago a senior Hamas spokesperson, Izzat al-Rishq, strongly denied reports that the PLO, Hamas and Islamic Jihad had come to a three-way agreement.

Speaking on his Twitter page, he said “There has been no Palestinian-Palestinian agreement around a 72-hour ceasefire.”

According to the spokesperson, Israel is unable to reject the proposal, as Hamas never agreed to it in the first place.

Sami Abu Zuhri, another senior Hamas spokesperson, said PLO claims of a ceasefire agreement were not in line with the policy of the Palestinian resistance.

"We will not agree to calm until Israel commits to quiet. If we get an international commitment regarding an Israeli agreement for calm, we will consider it."