Israel hints at weekend ceasefire

Israel today announced it was close to ending the bloody fighting it began three weeks ago in Gaza Strip.

A government spokesman said it was “possible” that cabinet ministers would take a decision on a ceasefire as early as the weekend.

But he added Israel was first waiting to receive reports from envoys in Cairo and Washington to discuss terms of a truce.

Chief Israeli negotiator Amos Gilad was in Egypt on his second trip in two days to discuss an Egyptian truce proposal. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni travelled to the US to agree a deal with Washington on blocking arms smuggling to Hamas militants.

Earlier during a visit to the West Bank, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had called on Israel to take unilateral action.

“I strongly urge Israeli leadership and government to declare a cease-fire unilaterally,” Mr Ban said from Ramallah, the seat of the West Bank government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a fierce rival of Hamas. “It’s time to think about a unilateral cease-fire from the Israeli government.”

But Israel dismissed the idea. “I don’t believe that there’s a logical expectation in the international community that Israel unilaterally cease fire while Hamas would continue to target cities, trying to kill our people,” said a spokesman.

More than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began on December 27, including 346 children. The death toll rose by 36 today including 25 whose bodies were unearthed from rubble.

Thirteen Israelis have been killed, four by rocket fire, according to the military.

Ms Livni signed a memorandum of understanding with the US in Washington over ways to stop arms smuggling to Hamas. Before leaving, she made clear that halting arms smuggling was a crucial part of any truce deal.

“Israel is going to retain its right to defend itself anyway, also when it comes to the smuggling of weapons, not only to rockets being fired at Israel,” she said.

Meanwhile the Israeli military kept up pressure on Hamas. Aircraft struck about 40 targets all over Gaza.

Palestinian medics said an 11-year-old girl was killed in a shelling in northern Gaza and witnesses reported an airstrike on a Gaza City mosque as people were headed there for Friday prayers.

Militants fired rockets at Israel more than 10 times, injuring three people, including one critically, officials said.

In the West Bank, Palestinian medics said Israeli soldiers shot dead a 20-year-old Palestinian during a violent protest against Israel’s Gaza offensive.

Witnesses said demonstrators hurled rocks at troops who stopped them from marching into the Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron. The witnesses said the soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters but the man killed was hit by a live round to the head. Five other men were injured.