Region | Palestinian Territories

Hamas threatens suicide attacks in Israel

Palestinian group Hamas on Monday agreed to halt rocket fire against Israel for 24 hours, citing a request from Egypt.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 13:46 December 22, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Violence around Gaza has escalated since Friday, when Hamas said it would not renew a truce with Israel.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Occupied Jerusalem: Palestinian groups have agreed to a 24-hour halt on rocket fire against Israel at Egypt's request, Hamas said on Monday.

Hamas official Ayman Taha said the brief ceasefire went into effect on Sunday evening, adding that Hamas might consider a longer truce if Israel were to reciprocate by ceasing all military attacks in Gaza and lifting an embargo on the impoverished territory.

"Hamas and other factions agreed in order to give a chance to the Egyptian mediation and to show that the problem was always on the Israeli side," Taha said.

"If a new (truce) offer were made, which met our demands, then we would be willing to study it."

Asked about Taha's statements, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman said they were "not true at all".

Earlier on Monday, Hamas threatened to resume suicide attacks in Israel should the Jewish state launch a major offensive in Gaza.

Violence around the enclave has steadily escalated since Friday, when Hamas said it would not renew a six-month truce with Israel.

"It is our right as an occupied people to defend ourselves from the occupation by all means possible including suicide attacks," Taha said.

Meanwhile, Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev said in a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon that the Jewish state with respond to the continuing rocket fire.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has also ordered Israeli ambassadors around the world to emphasise that Israel "will not hesitate to react militarily'' to protect its citizens.

She is due to meet foreign ambassadors to Israel and speak with her counterparts abroad.

"Israel must topple the Hamas rule in Gaza and a government under my command will do just that," Livni said. An election to pick a new prime minister is scheduled on February 20.

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