Israel steps close to ceasefire deal

Israel decided to resume diplomatic contacts with the Palestinian Authority today after a two-week freeze and agreed to suspend targeted killings of militants, taking two more steps toward a ceasefire and a resumption of peace talks.

The relative calm of the past week was marred by a brief burst of violence in the Gaza Strip today, including Palestinian rocket fire and the killing of a three-year-old Palestinian girl, apparently by Israeli army fire.

However, it appeared unlikely the violence would slow the momentum toward a truce.

Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat and a top aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Dov Weisglass, are to meet today or Thursday to discuss an emerging ceasefire deal and prepare for a meeting between Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian officials said.

The two have been in touch by phone for several days.

Sharon had cut off ties with the Palestinian Authority two weeks ago, after militants killed six Israeli civilians at a Gaza cargo crossing. However, the freeze was short-lived, with Israeli and Palestinian security officials resuming contacts several days later.

A senior US envoy, meanwhile, was arriving today for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on the terms of a ceasefire. Earlier this week, Palestinian militant groups had agreed to suspend attacks on Israel, provided the Israeli military halts operations, including arrest raids and targeted killings.

Israeli security officials said the military has agreed to halt the targeted attacks, mainly missiles fired from helicopters, in which dozens of fugitives and scores of bystanders have been killed since the outbreak of fighting in 2000.

They said Israel would not act on its current target list of militants, but they warned that if Palestinians resume hostile activity, they will target those responsible.

Abbas was to leave on Friday for visits to Egypt, Jordan, Russia and Turkey. If he obtains US and Egyptian backed guarantees that Israel will halt military operations, he is expected to return to the Gaza Strip for a formal ceasefire declaration, Palestinian officials said.

Israeli and Palestinian generals decided at a two-hour meeting last night on a plan for the deployment of 1,500 Palestinian police in central and southern Gaza. Police had taken up positions in the northern half of Gaza over the weekend, to try to prevent rocket and mortar fire on Israeli communities. Officers were to deploy in southern Gaza on tomorrow.