Israeli forces killed four Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank today, hours after the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers demanded a halt to all Israeli "aggression" as a condition for a ceasefire.
Islamic Jihad confirmed that three of its members had been killed. A spokesman for the group vowed revenge. "The Zionist enemy has no interest in calm," he said.
Islamic Jihad is among militant groups that powerbroker Egypt had hoped to coax into holding rocket fire from Gaza in a bid to bolster US-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Western-backed Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.
As part of any ceasefire, Hamas - which seized control of Gaza in June after routing Mr Abbas's forces there - is demanding a say in the future functioning of the coastal territory's border crossings, a condition rejected by Israel.
"There must be a commitment by Israel to end all acts of aggression against our people, assassinations, killings and raids, and lift the (Gaza) siege and reopen the crossings," Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas's administration in Gaza, said in a speech.
A truce, he said, should be "reciprocal, comprehensive and simultaneous", apply both to Gaza and the West Bank - territories where Palestinians seek statehood - and be approved by other factions.
"We will not abandon you, our people in the West Bank," Mr Haniyeh said. "Aggression against you is aggression against us."
Hamas had previously been vague about whether it would insist on including the West Bank in any Gaza truce.
Before the Bethlehem killings, Israel appeared to rebuff the idea of halting West Bank operations, arguing that they are necessary to thwart attacks by Hamas and other groups.