GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement denied on Monday Israeli media reports that Hamas has reached a cease-fire deal with Israel in the Gaza Strip for six months.
Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas' spokesman in Gaza, said in a short e-mailed statement that the Israeli media reports about cease-fire are not true.
Any cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel should be based on Israel's commitment to implementing all previous understandings, Barhoum added.
Meanwhile, Basim Naeem, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, also told Xinhua that no new deal was reached, except the calm understanding brokered by Egypt and the United Nations.
Earlier in the day, Israeli television reported that a deal, which was mediated by Egypt and the United Nations to reinforce cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, has been reached.
The reports said the deal included the suspension of the weekly anti-Israel protests, better knowns as the Great March of Return, the expansion of the fishing zone off the coast of the Gaza Strip, and an increase in exports and imports of the coastal enclave.
The agreement is set for six months and the two sides agreed to discuss other issues should both sides be committed to the deal, the Israeli reports added.
