Beirut  - The Lebanon representative of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas said Tuesday the outcome of the Israeli parliamentary elections would decide whether a truce between Gaza and Israel is possible.

"It all depends on the outcome of the Israeli elections. If the right-wing Likud party wins, I don't think that the current government will be able to reach an agreement regarding a long-term truce in Gaza, If the current government wins, they could reach an agreement," Ousama Hamdan told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Asked if he thought the Hamas delegation which is scheduled to return to Cairo this this week would be able to reach the long- awaited truce, Hamdan said: "We are still in the process of discussing some essential sticking points, such as the opening of the Gaza crossings."

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday that a lasting Gaza truce could come into effect "next week."

Egyptian officials have been mediating between Israel and Hamas on ways to try to reach a truce since the 22-day Israeli offensive in Gaza ended last month.

So far no results have been achieved despite several announcements by the Egyptians that a deal was imminent.

Hamdan stressed that it all depends now on the result of Tuesday's the elections and reiterated that his group will not negotiate any deal unless all crossings are opened into Gaza.

Israel closed all crossings leading to Gaza in June 2007 after the radical group seized power from rival Palestinian faction the mainstream Fatah movement.

According to Hamas, Israel will open all crossings when a prisoner exchange deal is achieved for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured by Hamas in 2006. dpa