Hamas members born with smuggling gene

Haniyeh: Hamas won't halt smuggling into Gaza
Jun 20, 2008 19:48 Updated Jun 20, 2008 20:04

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh denied on Friday that Hamas had agreed to stop weapons-smuggling efforts on Gaza's border with Egypt as part of the cease-fire deal with Israel, and claimed that it was incapable of such action.

According to a Reuters report, Haniyeh - speaking to worshipers ahead of Friday prayers in Gaza City - said: "We cannot talk about stopping smuggling because it is something beyond our ability as a government and we did not give a commitment in this regard."
Haniyeh added that Hamas would not force other organizations in Gaza to abide by the truce, but added that they had nevertheless agreed to it voluntarily.
In response government spokesperson Mark Regev said that the cease-fire agreement included a halt to weapons-smuggling and to attacks by all Gaza groups.
"Anyone who says otherwise apparently wants to destroy the calm before it has a chance to really succeed," he said.