Hamas and Fatah leaders agreed today to a renewed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in a bid to stop factional fighting verging on civil war, a spokesman for the Hamas-led government said. Previous ceasefire have been agreed but failed to hold.
Meanwhile Israel launched more air strikes against suspected Hamas targets in Gaza today, killing at least one person, as top officials considered a broader strategy for stopping rockets being fired at Israeli towns.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said Israel could take many steps to counter the missile attacks, but played down the immediate prospect of a massive ground invasion of Gaza. "I think the idea of taking over Gaza again is a decision that can be made at any time," he added.
The Israeli army said an air strike hit three militants firing rockets from northern Gaza. Local residents said the one person who was killed was a shepherd with no connection to the ruling Hamas movement or the rockets. Another five people were wounded, two seriously.
The makeshift rockets that militants fired into southern Israel on Saturday caused damage but no injuries. Overnight, the army said it destroyed two Hamas weapons' depots in Gaza City. Palestinians said they were metal foundries not connected to Hamas. Israel's bombing campaign against Hamas has killed at least 16 Palestinians since Wednesday. Local residents said the dead included at least four civilians.
At least 49 Palestinians have been killed in nine days of fierce internal fighting verging on civil war between Hamas Islamists and President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction. Hamas has accused Israel of conspiring to aid Fatah in a power struggle for control of Gaza, which Israeli troops and settlers quit nearly two years ago.
"We hope the moderate forces will have the upper hand," Mr Peretz told Army Radio. "The Palestinian nation needs to understand that Hamas is leading them to disaster and bringing them to a catastrophe that they won't be able to get out of."