The Islamic Hamas movement said on Monday that it accepted a one-year truce with Israel for lifting the blockade on Gaza and reopening the border crossings.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman in Gaza told reporters that the Hamas delegation which arrived in Cairo on Sunday will inform senior Egyptian security officials that they accept a one-year truce with Israel.

While confirming that Hamas accepted a one-year truce with Israel, the spokesman also noted that an idea to extend the truce to another half year "has first to be debated and discussed by Hamas leadership."

A six-moth truce between Hamas and Israel brokered by Egypt expired on Dec. 19. One week after it expired, Israel carried out a 22-day large-scale military assault on the Gaza Strip.

"A one and a half-year truce can be discussed if it serves the aspirations of the Palestinian people to end their suffering by lifting the blockade and opening the border crossings," said Barhoum.

He added that case of the captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit "is completely isolated from the other files related to the truce, ending the blockade and opening Gaza Strip borders crossings."

A Hamas delegation, composed of three leaders from Gaza and two leaders from Damascus, will officially inform the truce mediator Egypt in Cairo on Monday that Hamas accepts a one-year truce with Israel.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2009)