Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath projected that Hamas would call a ceasefire once Israel implements its plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
"Our hope is that once there is a withdrawal from Gaza there will be a real ceasefire," Shaath told Israeli public radio on Thursday.
Hamas "will be fully committed" to respecting such a ceasefire while the Palestinian security forces "will punish violators without going to total war".
Shaath, who is inclined to hold talks in Washington later this month, added the United States and World Bank are prepared to direct "massive economic aid" into the Gaza Strip in the wake of an Israeli withdrawal.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
