Hamas offers to reinstate cease-fire

Fri., June 16, 2006

Ibrahim Barzak Associated Press

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – The Hamas-led Palestinian government offered Thursday to restore a cease-fire with Israel, nearly a week after calling off the truce to protest a deadly explosion on a Gaza beach.

Israel responded favorably, signaling that both sides are prepared to step back from fighting that threatened to escalate into a broader conflict.

However, violence flared again late Thursday when three Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza-Israel border. The military said the three were from the small militant group Islamic Jihad and added they were trying to plant bombs. Palestinian hospital officials said two bodies were recovered.

A Hamas official said the group was in touch with other Gaza militants to try to halt daily rocket barrages against Israel, which set off punishing Israeli air and artillery retaliation.

The truce, declared in February 2005, greatly reduced Palestinian-Israeli violence that claimed more than 3,000 lives in the four years before.

But Hamas called it off after a June 9 explosion on a Gaza beach that killed eight Palestinian civilians. Israel was shelling Gaza around that time, but insisted it was not responsible for the explosion.

Hamas sent its own rocket squads to fire at Israel alongside Islamic Jihad and other militants. Dozens of rockets pelted Israel, many exploding in the town of Sderot, just outside the Gaza fence, badly wounding one Israeli.

The barrages have tapered off somewhat in the last day, an indication that Hamas was sidelining its militants. Islamic Jihad fired five rockets Thursday.

“We are interested to keep the … quiet, especially in the Gaza Strip,” government spokesman Ghazi Hamad of Hamas said Thursday. “We have contacts with the Palestinian factions. We are ready to do it, but (only) if the Israeli side has a strong intention to respond positively to the call … to stop their aggression.”

Israel welcomed the gesture.

“If it is quiet, we will answer that with quiet,” said Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

Hamas offers to reinstate cease-fire

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

Trump issues new 50% tariffs on Canada days before Gordie Howe opening

Ontario wildfires expand as smoke lingers in parts of the U.S.

Venezuela’s twin earthquakes leave 5,208 dead as aftershocks top 1,300