Ceasefire in Gaza over, Hamas ready for fight

A six-month Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Palestinian factions led by Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip ended on Friday, raising the prospect of fresh cross-border fighting.

"We announce that the calm between us and the Zionist enemy has finished entirely and it will not be renewed as a result of the occupation's denial of its fundamental conditions and obligations," said Hamas's armed wing, Izz el-Deen al-Qassam, in a statement issued at 0400 GMT, which Hamas said was the official deadline for the truce to expire.

Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip said they were prepared for any military escalation with Israeli forces and possible Israeli army raids into the territory.

They said their gunmen had undergone training during the six-month truce.

Qassam Brigades said any Israeli incursion would "open the doors of the battle wide and would be met by a painful response from our side."

"The calm is over," Hamas official Ayman Taha said in an announcement after concluding talks with Palestinian factions on Thursday in the coastal enclave controlled by the Islamist group.

He said the ceasefire would not be renewed "because the enemy did not abide by its obligations" to ease a crippling blockade of the Gaza Strip and halt all attacks.

Hamas stopped short of threatening an immediate escalation of violence against Israel, which had hoped to extend the truce and appears wary of a confrontation that could cause heavy casualties on both sides.

"We think the lull is in the best interest of both sides," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

Agencies

(China Daily 12/20/2008 page11)