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Gaza truce takes hold despite rocket fire

26 Nov 2006 19:19:30 GMT
Source: Reuters

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Israeli soldiers stand atop an armoured vehicle at a military staging area near Kibbutz Mefalsim, just outside the northern Gaza Strip, November 26, 2006. A ceasefire between Israel and militants in Gaza took hold and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised restraint in response to early Palestinian truce violations.
REUTERS/ELIANA APONTE

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(Updates after factions declare agreement to observe truce)

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - A ceasefire between Israel and militants in Gaza took hold on Sunday and despite Palestinian rocket attacks in the first hours, Israel promised restraint.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the deal could help revive peacemaking that collapsed six years ago before a Palestinian uprising began.

For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate, instructed security chiefs to clamp down on rocket firing by militants from the coastal strip into Israel.

The immediate aim is to end rocket fire from Gaza and halt a crushing Israeli army offensive launched after gunmen seized a soldier in a cross-border raid last June. Olmert said he hoped the soldier would now be freed.

"All of these things ultimately could lead to one thing -- the opening of serious, real, open and direct negotiations between us," Olmert said. "So that we can move forward towards a comprehensive agreement between us and the Palestinians."

Later, leaders of a number of militant factions met Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from the governing Hamas Islamist group. All said they had agreed to observe the truce although one group expressed reservations.

"The factions have shown positive positions and said they will act in a responsible manner in order to implement the agreement (truce). We will continue to hold talks to ensure the agreement holds," Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad said.

Khaled al-Batsh, a senior leader for the Islamic Jihad militant group which is not part of the government said his faction would only "respect the agreement as long as the Zionist enemy (Israel) remains committed to stopping its aggression".

Militants launched at least nine rockets just hours after the start of the ceasefire at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT). But the army said it had not recorded any rocket fire since 10.15 a.m.

"We will show the necessary restraint and patience, certainly in the coming days," Olmert said in southern Israel.

The Israeli army pulled forces out of Gaza overnight and Palestinian witnesses confirmed the soldiers had gone.

RELIEF AND SCEPTICISM

There was little sign a truce was on the cards before it was announced late on Saturday. It came at a time of growing U.S. pressure on Olmert and the Palestinians to curtail spiralling violence and show progress towards ending decades of conflict.

U.S. President George W. Bush visits the region this week.

A deal could help end months of Palestinian political deadlock and ease domestic pressure on Olmert after the July-August war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon that ended inconclusively with a U.N.-brokered truce.

Palestinian forces in helmets and flak jackets patrolled near Gaza's borders. Abbas's military adviser, Abdel-Razek al-Majaydeh, said they had strict orders to implement the ceasefire and ensure any violators were held accountable.

More than 400 Palestinians, about half of them militants, have been killed in the offensive, Palestinian hospital officials and residents say. Three Israeli soldiers and two civilians have been killed since the assault began.

"Thanks to God the Israeli forces have quit our land in defeat. We feel like victors," said Abdel-Majid Ash-Shanti, 23, who lives in northern Gaza.

In Sderot, the southern Israeli town that has felt the brunt of rocket attacks, there was scepticism.

"There is no ceasefire," said mayor Eli Moyal, dashing for shelter as a warning came of an imminent rocket attack.

The ceasefire could pave the way for a summit between Abbas and Olmert on ways to restart peacemaking. Olmert and an aide to Abbas said they hoped the truce could also include the occupied West Bank, which Palestinians seek for a state along with Gaza.

Adherence to the agreement could help Abbas and Haniyeh finalise talks on forming a unity government that Palestinians hope might ease Western sanctions imposed after Hamas took office in March.

Hamas was instrumental in bringing about the latest truce, but is formally dedicated to destroying Israel. (Additional reporting by Allyn Fisher-Ilan and Ori Lewis in Jerusalem, Yehuda Peretz in Sderot)

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