Israel said it accepted an Egyptian-brokered truce with Hamas Islamists ruling the Gaza Strip but voiced scepticism the ceasefire.
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Wednesday it accepted an Egyptian-brokered truce with Hamas Islamists ruling the Gaza Strip but voiced scepticism the ceasefire involving all Palestinian militant groups in the territory would hold.
Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli defence official, said after returning from talks in Cairo that “an understanding” had been reached. Egypt and Hamas said on Tuesday a ceasefire would go into effect at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Thursday.
Gilad told Israeli media that Israel was prepared to give a ceasefire a chance — while continuing preparations for possible military action should it fall apart.
A ceasefire would aim to end frequent rocket and mortar bomb attacks on Israel from the coastal enclave and Israeli raids and air strikes in the territory.
Israeli and Palestinian officials said under the truce, the blockade Israel imposed on the Gaza Strip after Hamas seized the territory a year ago would be loosened gradually and
partially.
“Everybody knows the situation in Gaza, where 1.5 million people living there are absolutely miserable,” said Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. “Our hope is that (the ceasefire) would lead to an easing of those difficult conditions.”
The United States pressed for calm to remove an obstacle in slow-moving peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
A ceasefire could also give Hamas the opportunity to upgrade weaponry and train fighters and boost its popularity among Palestinians if Gaza border crossings reopen.
Meir Sheetrit, Israel’s interior minister and a member of its security cabinet, said he was “very sceptical” that Hamas could enforce a complete ceasefire among the militant groups.
“The idea is a complete ceasefire — no fire from anyone ... if there is any violation of the agreement, the government is free to return to act with full force,” Sheetrit said.
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