UNSCO denies that Sp. Coordinator was asked by Hamas to convey to Israel a proposal for long-term ceasefire – UNSCO note to correspondents

Note to correspondents

on media reports regarding an alleged Hamas proposal for a long-term ceasefire

Jerusalem, 9 March 2015

UNSCO is aware of media reports alleging that international diplomats, including the Special Coordinator, were asked by Hamas to convey to Israel a proposal on a longterm ceasefire in Gaza. This is untrue and we deny these reports.

After his final visit to Gaza, the Special Coordinator issued a statement on 2 March in which he mentioned that he had been involved in efforts to preserve calm and deescalate tensions in Gaza during the past years in his capacity and mandate as UN Special Coordinator. He stressed the importance of efforts to address the underlying issues, particularly the need to reach a more durable ceasefire, in order to support accelerated and sustainable reconstruction in Gaza. In that context, the Special Coordinator discussed the idea of a long-term reconstruction hudna under the umbrella of the Palestinian Government of National Consensus, to which all Palestinian factions should commit under the leadership of President Abbas. The Special Coordinator remains concerned that absent a more durable ceasefire and the Palestinian Government of National Consensus assuming its rightful responsibilities in Gaza and to lead reconstruction which is proceeding too slowly, Gaza will regress instead of developing.

http://www.unsco.org/Documents/Statements/SC/2015/Note%20to%20correspondents%20-%209%20March%202015.pdf