The militant Islamic group Hamas said today it had formally rejected an Egyptian truce proposal but added it would consider halting attacks on Israeli civilians if the Jewish state agreed to similar terms.
Twelve Palestinian factions last month ended four days of talks in Cairo sponsored by Egypt without reaching an agreement on a truce with Israel. But Egypt said Palestinian groups would give their final response by February 4th, after the Israeli elections.
"Our position is clear. We do not think the truce is in the interests of the Palestinian people," Hamas representative in Lebanon Mr Usama Hamdan said.
"A truce is not grounds for future meetings," he said, adding that Hamas would "consider stopping attacks on Israeli civilians if Israel stopped attacks on Palestinians".
Hamas carried out dozens of attacks that have killed hundreds of Israelis since the Palestinian revolt for independence broke out in September 2000. Thousands of Palestinians have died at the hands of Israeli forces in the same period.