Hamas leader signals possible truce with Israel

A HAMAS leader has said the militant group could accept creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza and a long-term truce with Israel, signalling a possible new overture to end hostilities.

Hamas has made such offers before, but this was the first time since the death of Yasser Arafat and reflects a softening of the Islamic group’s tone before a Palestinian election next month.

“The whole world should seize this opportunity and build on it because this is a realistic position being taken by the Hamas movement,” Hassan Youssef, the top Hamas official in the West Bank, said yesterday.