Hamas offers to renew truce with Israel

PA government offers to restore cease-fire with Israel, several days after calling off truce to protest deadly explosion on Gaza beach. ‘We are ready to do it, but (only) if Israeli side has strong intention to respond positively to call,’ Hamas spokesman says. Islamic Jihad announces new offensive against Israel

Reuters | Published: 06.15.06, 20:17

The Hamas-led government offered Thursday to restore a cease-fire with Israel, several days after calling off the truce to protest a deadly explosion on a Gaza beach, but said the calm would depend on Israel's response.

Hamas said it is ready to put pressure on other militant groups to halt rocket fire against Israel. The rocket attacks have drawn tough Israeli reprisals and raised the possibility of a broader conflict.

"This is very clear for us. We are interested to keep the situation and quiet, especially in the Gaza Strip," said government spokesman Ghazi Hamad. "We have contacts with the Palestinian factions. We are ready to do it, but (only) if the Israeli side has a strong intention to respond positively to the call ... to stop their aggression."

Israel welcomed the gesture. "If it is quiet, we will answer that with quiet," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry.

'Israel will not weaken us'

Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad announced the launching of a new offensive against Israel. The group has claimed responsibility for the recent Qassam rocket attacks on Sderot.

“The offensive’s goal is to hurt Israel with the use of Qassam rockets,” Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, the al-Quds Brigades, said in a statement.

Islamic Jihad members said that despite recent reports, the group is determined to continue the jihad and the resistance.

“The repeated Zionist attacks and massacres will not weaken us and will not prevent the series of responses to the enemy’s crimes,” the organization said. “Thursday’s firing of the Quds-3 rockets toward Sderot is only the first phase in the offensive.”

Fatah’s armed wing, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, along with the Salah al-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas-linked Popular Resistance Committees, said they also fired Qassams toward Sderot.