Gaza truce comes into force

2008-06-19 07:28

Gaza City - A truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas came into force in the Gaza Strip at dawn on Thursday amid scepticism over how long the Egyptian-brokered deal would hold.

It is the first formal ceasefire since Hamas's bloody takeover of the impoverished territory just over a year ago which triggered a crippling Israel blockade against what it brands a "hostile entity".

"The truce came into effect at 06:00 (03:00 GMT)," Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri. "Hamas is determined to respect the truce and guarantee its success."

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army although local media reported on the ceasefire taking effect and said the military was in a state of readiness.

But in the minutes before the guns fell silent, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire in Gaza City, medics said.

As well has calling for a halt to militant rocket fire and Israeli strikes on Gaza, the deal calls for Israel to progressively ease its blockade of the territory where most of the 1.5 million population depend on aid.

Could be 'short-lived'

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose government boycotts Hamas as a terrorist outfit, warned on Wednesday that the ceasefire would be "fragile" and could be "short-lived".

"If terror continues, Israel will have to work to remove the threat," he said, describing Hamas as "despicable, bloodthirsty terrorists who have not changed."

Egypt announced the deal on Tuesday after months of brokering indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which had been mulling a wider military offensive in Gaza in a bid to halt militant rocket fire.

It comes seven months after Israel-Palestinian peace talks were revived at a US conference in November, although they have made little visible progress since in part because of the Gaza violence and Jewish settlement activity.

At least 516 people have been killed in Israeli-Palestinian fighting since November, most of them Gaza militants.

- AFP