A senior Hamas official today brushed aside warnings that Western aid to the Palestinians could dry up because of the militants’ hardline stand on Israel, saying the Islamic group would not bow to international pressure.

PALESTINIAN militant groups agreed yesterday to a truce with Israel until the end of this year on condition that Israel halts violence against Palestinians and frees prisoners.

A car bomb killed a leader of the Hamas militant group in Damascus today. In Israel, security officials acknowledged the Jewish state was involved in the assassination.

PALESTINIANS yesterday failed to reach agreement on any truce offer to Israel, even a conditional one, after three days of talks mired in arguments, delegates said.