Hamas pledges to abide by truce if Israel does the same

The head of the Hamas Islamic movement in Gaza, Ismail Haniyya, said Friday that the armed wing of Hamas, and other armed factions, would remain committed to a truce with Israel, but only if Israel ceases its daily military attacks.

Ismail Haniyya of Hamas

"I have met with armed factions over the past two days and they stated their position clearly: they are committed to calm as long as (Israel) abides by it," said Hanniya to a Reuters reporter in Gaza.

 

The statement came in the midst of a violent week in the coastal territory, in which four Palestinian fighters were killed by Israeli forces.  Palestinian resistance fighters also fired several homemade shells across the border into Israel this week after the killings, but no injuries were reported on the Israeli side.  Palestinian homemade shells are crude rockets made of metal pipes stuffed with dynamite, and cannot be aimed with any precision.

 

The Israeli military, on the other hand, has the fourth largest army in the world, with precision drones and missiles that are fired at Palestinian population centers on a regular basis.  Israeli military officials say that the 'targeted assassination' policy is allowed under Israeli law, but the missiles often injure and kill civilian bystanders, rendering the policy a violation of international law.

 

The Israeli military has kept all border crossings into Gaza closed, in another violation of international law.  Tony Blair, serving as the UN envory for Mideast Peace, stated Friday, "The only lasting solution to the desperate situation in Gaza will require an end to terrorist attacks, continued restraint, and the opening of the crossings."

 

Israel did not give a response to the offer by Ismail Haniyya, but Israeli military officials have stated in recent days that they plan to step up attacks in the Gaza Strip.