Hanieh: "Israel" must end its war before considering future options

 
Source: AFP, 15-01-2009
In an article published on Thursday in the British newspaper The Independent, Hamas leader Ismail Hanieh called on the Western countries to press for an end to "Israel's" military offensive.
"‘Israel' must end its criminal war and slaughter of our people, life its illegal siege of the Gaza Strip completely and unconditionally, open all our border crossings and withdraw from entirety of Gaza," Hanieh wrote.
"[Only] after this would we consider future options," he added.
Head of Gaza's emergency services Moawiya Hassanein told AFP 1,038 people had been killed in the Hamas-run territory while a further 4,850 people have been wounded, since the December 27 launch of Operation Cast Lead.