Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday ruled out ceasefire talks with Hamas, calling Israel's battle against the Islamic militant group a "true war."
The Israeli army has been battling Hamas and other armed groups that frequently fire rockets into southern Israel. The army appears to have made substantial gains in recent weeks, and Olmert told his Cabinet that there are no plans to slow down.
"Operations against terrorists will continue as they have been conducted for many months," he said. "There is no other way to describe what is happening in the Gaza Strip except as a true war between the Israeli army and terror groups. This war will continue."
Gaza's Hamas rulers have signaled readiness in recent days to reach a ceasefire. Several Israeli Cabinet ministers said the government should consider the offer.
A senior aide to the Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip said in an interview published yesterday that the Islamic group was prepared to reach a truce with Israel if it stops its military campaign against Gaza militants and opens crossings into the impoverished, isolated territory.
The comments by Ahmed Youssef, aide to Hamas' Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh, as reported by the Palestinian Maan news agency, were the latest by Hamas officials in support of a ceasefire.
"We don't object to a truce that ends the siege, but it should not be given gratis, and will not be open-ended," Maan quoted Youssef as saying.
Israel must stop its military strikes and open crossings, he said.
Israel's official position remains that it will not talk to Hamas unless the group renounces violence and recognizes Israel's right to exist.
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