Hamas Took A Beating

Hamas has declared that an eighteen month truce with Israel is almost ready. Originally Hamas said the truce should last no longer than a year and Israel was adamant that eighteen months was the minimum it would consider.

Hamas deputy leader Moussa Abu Marzouk said on Thursday that his organization supports an 18-month truce with Israel.

Abu Marzouk, in Cairo for truce talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, told Al-Jazeera that Hamas was waiting for Israel to approve the details of the emerging agreement.

Taher Nunu, another member of the Hamas delegation in Egypt, said the cease-fire would be officially announced within three days.

"Most of the obstacles preventing us from consolidating an agreement have already been solved," Nunu said, adding that the agreement would ensure an end to the fighting with Israel and the opening of the crossings into Gaza.

Earlier, a senior Egyptian official said "the discussions with Hamas representatives in Cairo were very successful" and an agreement would be signed as early as Thursday night.

Hamas has a very interesting way of putting its position.

Hamas would accept an 18-month truce if Israel stopped its "aggression," i.e. attacks, lifted its blockade and opened the Israeli border crossings with the Gaza Strip, the official said earlier Thursday.

In other words, "If you will quit beating us we will quit fighting." It will be interesting to see how long and how well this truce holds. If history is any guide I'd say about a month.