Gaza cease-fire maybe reached within 2 days: Hamas

GAZA CITY, Palestine

A prominent leader in Hamas said Wednesday that a cease-fire may be reached between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza within two days.

Mousa Abu Marzouk released a statement to Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen TV that said, "ongoing efforts regarding a ceasefire will succeed.” He said, "I expect reaching a ceasefire in one or two days."

Marzouk, who is a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau, also said Israel is worried that it cannot fight on several fronts in the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza and Arab towns in Israel.

Diplomatic sources told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that UN Security Council member states started discussions on a draft resolution prepared by France that calls for a cease-fire.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli Channel 12 revealed that a consensus between Israeli political and military levels not to accept a cease-fire before Friday.

At least 227 Palestinians have been killed, including 64 children and 36 women, and 1,620 others injured in Israeli attacks across the blockaded territory since May 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

While in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, 28 Palestinians, including 4 children, were killed by the Israeli forces in clashes that erupted in protest of Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Twelve people in Israel have been killed in Palestinian rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara