Hamas sets terms for ceasefire with Israel
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
GAZA, March 12 (Reuters) - Hamas set out its conditions on Wednesday for a ceasefire with Israel, calling for an end to all acts of Israeli "aggression" in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and the reopening of Gaza border crossings.
The terms mirrored proposals raised by Egyptian mediators trying to piece together a truce deal, which would also end Gaza rocket attacks on Israel by militants from Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
Violence has declined sharply over the past week. A ceasefire could foster progress in U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah faction lost control of the Gaza Strip to Hamas last June.
"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 the Gaza Strip, said in a speech.
A ceasefire, he said, should be "reciprocal, comprehensive and simultaneous", apply both to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and be approved by other Palestinian factions.
"We will not abandon you, our people in the West Bank," 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.
A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert -- in a nod to a de facto truce -- said there there was "no need for negotiations" on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
"We can have calm in the south if there is a total absence of rocket and missile fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel, if Hamas ceases terrorist operations against Israelis, and if there is an end to illegal smuggling of weapons and ammunition into the Gaza Strip," said the spokesman, Mark Regev.
"If there is quiet and these conditions are met, there will be quiet."
Regev appeared to rebuff the idea of halting Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank, saying it would be irresponsible "not to defend ourselves against ... hard-core terrorists" there.
LULL
Rocket salvoes from the Gaza Strip have tailed off since Israel ended an offensive in the territory nine days ago that killed 120 Palestinians. Israel has not raided the area since wrapping up the operation.
Egypt has stepped up truce efforts -- amid Israeli leaders' insistence they are not negotiating with Hamas. The Islamist group has spurned Western demands to recognise Israel and renounce violence.
Israel tightened its Gaza border restrictions, worsening humanitarian conditions, after the Hamas takeover nine months ago. Israel is under international pressure not to cause the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million inhabitants more hardship.
A reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt could be key to improving conditions for ordinary Palestinians. A senior Israeli government official said Israel favoured giving a role to Abbas and his security forces at Rafah.
"Everybody wants to make (Abbas) look stronger but we are very sceptical of the chances of this working. (Abbas's forces) will be surrounded by Hamas," the official said.
Abbas has U.S. backing to take control also of Gaza's main crossing points with Israel, but the Israeli official played down such a prospect.
A broad truce deal could also include a prisoner exchange involving Palestinians held in Israeli jails and an Israeli soldier seized by Gaza militants in 2006.
Haniyeh delivered his address several hours after Israeli troops killed an Islamic Jihad militant in the West Bank. Islamic Jihad, which has been behind many of the Gaza rocket attacks, vowed revenge. (Additional reporting by Adam Entous in Jerusalem, Writing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem, Editing by Avida Landau and Richard Balmforth)
