A senior Hamas official said in a Facebook posting on Wednesday that the Islamist group’s offer of a 5-year agreement for calm in return for the lifting of the blockade against the Gaza Strip was rejected by Israel. Moussa Abu Marzook used the opportunity to take a swipe at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the same time when he wrote that, “We're paying a steep price for our stance by the continued blockade and economic pressure over the Strip, but we reject any idea that would lead to the separation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, despite the fact that Palestinian President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and his government are actively doing so with their policies.” The idea of a truce long-enough to carry out the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the devastation it suffered in last summer’s war between Israel and Hamas was raised earlier by Robert Serry, the outgoing United Nations coordinator for Middle East peace. The suggestion was for a “hudna” – an Arabic term for “calm” that is beneficial but arbitrary. Marzook claimed Israeli army officers had told Palestinians that they were okay with a Palestinian air and seaport in return for a long-term period of quiet.