BICOM

Following four days of violence, which saw southern Israel come under constant rocket fire, Egyptian officials appeared to have brokered a tentative truce between Israel and the militant leaders in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. From Saturday, over 160 rockets and mortars, fired by armed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, had landed in southern Israel. More than 40 Israelis were reported to have been lightly injured, mostly suffering from shock and light shrapnel injuries. Palestinian sources said that seven Palestinians had been killed in Israel Air Force strikes during the same period, including four civilians.

According to the latest reports, it appeared yesterday that Egyptian officials had reached an agreement between Israel and Hamas, which has taken an active role in the rocket attacks, that both sides would hold their fire unless attacked. According to Reuters, an Egyptian official involved in the negotiations said, “The message was clear, and Israel too told Egypt they were not interested in escalation if rocket firing stopped. The situation now is calm and I hope it does not deteriorate.”

However, on a visit to the Gaza border yesterday, Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak warned that the truce might be temporary. He told reporters, “This clearly isn’t over and we will decide how and when to act the minute there will be a need to do so.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented, “Whoever thinks that he can routinely attack the daily lives of the residents of the South without paying a heavy price is mistaken.”

Meanwhile, Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin announced that Israel’s parliament, which is currently in recess, would convene on Thursday for a special session to discuss the recent violence in the Gaza border region.