The armed wing of Hamas has rejected an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire in #Gaza and threatened to "intensify" its conflict with Israel.
Cairo announced a proposal for a #ceasefire beginning at 7am on Tuesday and said it was willing to host #Israeli and Palestinian delegations for talks after the truce came into effect.
The plan has been welcomed by US President Barack Obama and the Arab League, but the Palestinian Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said it amounted to a "surrender".
The group said in a statement: "No official or unofficial side has approached us about the ceasefire talked about in the media... (but) if the contents of this proposal are true, it is a surrender and we reject it outright
"Our battle with the enemy will intensify."
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum appeared to reject the truce plan, suggesting it would be unacceptable without a fully-fledged deal to end hostilities.
"In times of war, you don't cease fire and then negotiate," he told AFP.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, welcomed the Egyptian initiative and urged both sides to stop fighting.
Speaking at an Iftar dinner marking the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan in the White House, Mr Obama said: "We are encouraged that Egypt has made a proposal to accomplish this goal that we hope can restore the calm that we are seeking.
"The pictures that we are seeing in Gaza and in Israel are heart-wrenching."
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See Also: Israel Says It's Downed Drone Along Southern Coast
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The president described the deaths of Palestinians as "a tragedy" but reiterated that Israel had the right to defend itself from Hamas rocket attacks.
Israel's Operation Protective Edge, aimed at stamping out militant rocket fire, has killed some 186 people in Gaza - more than the last outbreak of hostilities in the region in 2012.
Human rights groups say more than 75% of the dead have been non-combatants amd the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says more than a quarter of them have been children.
The raids have prompted some 17,000 people to flee their homes, particularly in northern Gaza, with many taking refuge in UN schools.
So far, no Israelis have been killed. Four have been seriously wounded.
Rocket fire from Gaza militants has intensified, with Hamas militants launching more than 800 rockets at cities across Israel, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the northern city of Hadera.
A further 187 have been shot down by Israel's missile defences.
In the early hours of Tuesday, two rockets fired from Gaza landed in Israel's southern port city Eilat, and another landed just outside the city, the army said.
Two people suffered minor injuries. Sky News
Cairo announced a proposal for a #ceasefire beginning at 7am on Tuesday and said it was willing to host #Israeli and Palestinian delegations for talks after the truce came into effect.
The plan has been welcomed by US President Barack Obama and the Arab League, but the Palestinian Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said it amounted to a "surrender".
The group said in a statement: "No official or unofficial side has approached us about the ceasefire talked about in the media... (but) if the contents of this proposal are true, it is a surrender and we reject it outright
 |
| A man inspects a house police say was damaged in an Israeli air strike |
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum appeared to reject the truce plan, suggesting it would be unacceptable without a fully-fledged deal to end hostilities.
"In times of war, you don't cease fire and then negotiate," he told AFP.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, welcomed the Egyptian initiative and urged both sides to stop fighting.
Speaking at an Iftar dinner marking the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan in the White House, Mr Obama said: "We are encouraged that Egypt has made a proposal to accomplish this goal that we hope can restore the calm that we are seeking.
"The pictures that we are seeing in Gaza and in Israel are heart-wrenching."
_________________________________________________________________________________
See Also: Israel Says It's Downed Drone Along Southern Coast
_________________________________________________________________________________
The president described the deaths of Palestinians as "a tragedy" but reiterated that Israel had the right to defend itself from Hamas rocket attacks.
Israel's Operation Protective Edge, aimed at stamping out militant rocket fire, has killed some 186 people in Gaza - more than the last outbreak of hostilities in the region in 2012.
Human rights groups say more than 75% of the dead have been non-combatants amd the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says more than a quarter of them have been children.
 |
| The violence followed the kidnap and killing of three Israeli youths |
So far, no Israelis have been killed. Four have been seriously wounded.
Rocket fire from Gaza militants has intensified, with Hamas militants launching more than 800 rockets at cities across Israel, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the northern city of Hadera.
A further 187 have been shot down by Israel's missile defences.
In the early hours of Tuesday, two rockets fired from Gaza landed in Israel's southern port city Eilat, and another landed just outside the city, the army said.
Two people suffered minor injuries. Sky News
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