The truce took effect at 6 AM local time, moments after the Israeli Air Force killed a member of the Qassam rocket squad preparing to launch an attack near the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.

Earlier, Palestinian militants fired 30 Qassam rockets on Israel's southern communities, slightly wounding a woman.

The mistrust between the two sides was at display with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who had vowed not to deal with Hamas, describing the truce as"fragile and may be very short."

Hamas has also threatened to retaliate to any provocation.

"We have no illusions. The calm is fragile and likely to be short-lived," Olmert said.

"Hamas has not changed its skin. These are bloodthirsty and despicable terrorists who even today are doing all they can to harm Israeli civilians. Hamas is the address in Gaza and it carries responsibility for everything that happens in Gaza," he said.

The Prime Minister also said the release of abducted Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier Gilad Shalit, one of the key conditions for truce, was an inherent part of the ceasefire deal.

"Gilad Shalit's release is inseparable from the understandings reached in the terms for calm. Each day, I make efforts to return him to his parents. I believe that as part of the understandings that enabled this calm, we will be able to advance his release," Olmert said.

However, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said that a stable truce would pave the way for exchange of prisoners and the release of the Israeli soldier has 'no linkage to the ceasefire deal'.

Noam Shalit, the father of the captive soldier, has threatened to petition the High Court of Justice to prevent Israel from entering into a ceasefire with Hamas, unless the release of his son is included in the agreement.

The scope of the Egypt-mediated truce agreement is likely to be broadened to include relaxation of tough restrictions on Gaza, which has denied people of basic needs, and a possible exchange of prisoners and opening of Rafah crossing, Gaza's gateway to the outside world.

A news paper report on Thursday morning said that Egypt has proposed the deployment of a multinational Arab force in Gaza as a final stage of the truce.

Although sceptical, Israel is inclined towards accepting the proposal as it will put the onus of maintaining calm in the region on forces of countries like Egypt and may also facilitate the restoration of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' authority in the coastal Strip.

However, Israel is concerned about the operational challenges it will pose against its forces, and the chances of Hamas accepting it also looks slim, the report said.

Source: By DDNEWS