Hamas pledges to abide by truce if Israel does the same

Saturday November 22, 2008 03:16 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

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.

"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.

Palestinians injured in Israeli surface-to-surface missile attack

Date: 22 / 11 / 2008 Time: 20:30
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Two Palestinians were injured by a surface-to-surface missile fired from an Israeli artillery base on Saturday night, according to a Gaza hospital official.

The two Palestinians were claimed to be preparing to launch an attack on Israel, though no side claimed responsibility for the men's actions leading up to the Israeli assault.

The men, who were apparently only lightly injured, were taken to Beit Hanoun Hospital in Gaza, where Dr. Mu'awiyah Hassanain announced their conditions.

Hassanain is the director of Emergency and Ambulance Services in the de facto Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Israeli security sources said three projectiles were fired toward Israeli towns near Gaza on Saturday night.

Sources added that the attacks "were breaches of the truce," though the projectiles did not cause any injuries or damage.

The reported projectiles landed in Sderot and Ashkelon Israeli cities, on Saturday night, according to security sources.

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