Israeli airstrike kills Gaza militant

Dubai: A missile from an Israeli aircraft struck a car travelling in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, killing a Palestinian fighter and further straining a truce with the territory's Hamas rulers, but Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak ruled out a new offensive.

The strike came as Hamas sent a delegation to Egypt in hopes of wrapping up a long-term ceasefire in the wake of Israel's three-week military offensive that killed nearly 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza.

Developments gained momentum yesterday as Hamas announced it favoured a limited truce, while simultaneously trading warnings with Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held talks in Cairo.

Analysts said that while both Hamas and Israel appeared to agree in principle that a truce was required, the main obstacle seemed to be how to reopen the border post between Gaza and Egypt, while simultaneously saving face.

"I want to be clear: We in Hamas have obviously said the truce will not be reached unless the borders are reopened and the siege [on Gaza] is lifted," said Osama Hamdan, Hamas representative in Beirut.

A Hamas delegation headed to Cairo yesterday for more talks with Egyptian officials on Cairo's proposal for a truce. Israel and Hamas have been negotiating through Egyptian mediation on a proposal to consolidate the ceasefire that ended Israel's 22-day-war on Gaza on January 18.

Some press reports said the delegation would present its response to the proposal. However, Hamdan explained that before giving its final response, Hamas expects "to receive, through the Egyptians, a reply to several ideas raised during the last meeting with the Egyptians" from both Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on reopening border posts, particularly in Rafah. The Egyptians sought Abbas' agreement on certain issues, thus explaining the surprise arrival of the president in Cairo on Sunday, according to Hamdan.

Border posts between Gaza and Egypt have been closed since Hamas took control of Gaza in June 2007. Prior to that , the Rafah border was open under an agreement reached in 2005, with European monitors, troops from Egypt and Palestinian presidency guards providing security.

While there have been reports that new cameras have been installed along the Egyptian-Gaza borders, some politicians have said that any new arrangement would not necessitate dramatic changes.

"I believe that what is required is something creative, a face-saving creative suggestion, cosmetic amendments [to the 2005 agreement]," said Qadoura Fares, a former Fatah member of parliament. "In this case, all parties - including Hamas, Israel, the PNA and Egypt - can say they stuck to their positions," he told Gulf News.

Reopening the border constitutes the main obstacle in the way of Cairo talks, analysts believe. A defined time-frame for the truce would also be welcomed.

"This [a timeframe] is something good," Palestinian political scientist Ali Jarbawi said. "An endless truce means endless occupation, and this we don't want," he told Gulf News.

Analysts pointed out, however, that settling the differences between Hamas and Fatah would be a challenge as both appeared to be digging in their heels.