Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech Wednesday in the Gaza Strip that Israel must stop carrying out raids and assassinations in the territory. He also said Israel must reopen Gaza's borders, which have been sealed since Hamas seized control of Gaza in June.
Haniyeh said a cease-fire must be "reciprocal, simultaneous and comprehensive."
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said today Israel has not entered into a truce with Hamas. He said there has been no change in Israeli efforts to stop Gaza militants from firing rockets into Israel, saying there could be an escalation of fighting.
A lull in violence in recent days has followed an Israeli military offensive in Gaza in which at least 120 Palestinians were killed.
Israel launched the offensive in response to Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel that killed one civilian.
Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Israel, the United States and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist group.
Early today, Israeli troops killed an Islamic Jihad militant in the West Bank.
Witnesses in the village of Saida said Saleh Karkur was killed in an exchange of gunfire with Israeli troops after they surrounded the house where he was staying. The troops demolished the house during the fight.
The Israeli military confirmed the incident and said troops shot the gunman after he opened fire at them during a raid to arrest militants.
Source: By VOA News
