MIDDLE EAST:Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said yesterday most Palestinian groups would halt their rocket fire against Israel if the Jewish state ceased its attacks against Palestinian targets.
The remarks came as Israeli forces killed a 10-year-old Palestinian boy and a Palestinian fighter in Gaza, hospital officials said. The deaths occurred as the army pushed forward with a major offensive, aimed mainly at stopping Palestinian fighters from firing rockets into Israel state.
Mr Haniyeh said Hamas and four large Palestinian factions had reached an agreement to halt their rocket fire against Israel if the Jewish state stopped its own attacks.
"The Palestinian factions have shown a readiness . . . to stop firing rockets from the Gaza Strip in return for an Israeli commitment to stop the aggression," he told reporters in Gaza.
"Dealing positively with this would lead to achieving . . . calm and stability in the region, but if the occupation wants to pursue its aggression, our people will have no choice but to stick to their right to defend themselves with the capabilities they have."
Palestinian factions in Gaza late on Thursday had offered to stop firing rockets if Israel halted military action in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel rejected the offer.
"If the Palestinian terror factions, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, stop terror activities from the Gaza Strip, Israel would have no reason or incentive to operate in Gaza," said Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin.
Israel began its offensive in June soon after fighters in Gaza abducted an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid. Israel has killed some 400 Palestinians since then, half of them civilians. Three Israelis have also died as a result of rocket fire from Palestinian factions.
Palestinian hospital officials said the 10-year-old boy was shot dead east of the town of Beit Lahiya. Israel's army said it was not aware of the incident. Hamas said the other dead Palestinian was a volunteer and cameraman from Hamas who filmed fighters in action.
Elsewhere in northern Gaza, two Israeli soldiers were wounded when Palestinian gunmen detonated an explosive device near troops, the army said.
The fresh fighting coincides with a visit to Gaza by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas of the once-dominant Fatah faction, who has been meeting Mr Haniyeh to try to revive talks on forging a unity government.
Mr Haniyeh is a member of the Hamas movement, which ousted Fatah in elections earlier this year and has resisted international pressure to renounce violence and recognise the state of Israel.
"Hamas will be a major component in any government that would be formed," Mr Haniyeh said. "This issue has finished and it is non-negotiable with anyone in the international community." Hamas accused Mr Abbas yesterday of imposing what it called unacceptable conditions for a unity cabinet, including the release of a captured Israeli soldier and a halt to attacks on Israel.
Palestinians hope a unity government will convince western nations to renew aid to the Palestinian Authority after sanctions were imposed because of Hamas's refusal to recognise Israel and renounce violence. - (Reuters)