Palestinian Prime Minister and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haneya urged both Palestinian militants and Israel on Saturday to halt armed operations in Gaza and restore calm.

"To get out of the current crisis, all concerned parties must restore calm on the basis of a mutual ceasefire," he said in a statement.

Haneya also called for negotiations to put an end to the Gaza crisis triggered by the abduction of the 19-year-old Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit by Palestinian militants during a cross- border raid on June 25.

The Hamas-led Palestinian government was "keen to settle that issue in a calm and diplomatic way without any pressure or military escalation," said the statement.

The Palestinian prime minister also condemned the ongoing Israeli massive offensive in Gaza in order to free Shalit as " collective punishment."

"Israeli troops are deliberately targeting Palestinian children, women and civilians. What is happening in the Gaza Strip is a conclusive proof that Israel conducts random killings and collective punishment against the Palestinian people," said Haneya.

Nearly 40 Palestinians including civilians and one Israeli soldier have been killed since Israel launched the Gaza offensive on June 28.

Haneya, meanwhile, urged Israel to release eight Hamas government ministers and dozens of Hamas lawmakers who were arrested by Israel in the West Bank following the start of the Gaza operation.

In addition, Haneya called on the international community to pressurize Israel to stop the military moves in Gaza.

"The international community must open its eyes to the catastrophe of the Palestinian prisoners (held in Israeli jails) and pressurize Israel to stop brutal acts against our people," he said.

Israeli troops have expanded their offensive in Gaza, intruding toward Gaza City on early Saturday. At least two Palestinians including a policeman were killed by Israeli tank fire during the incursion.

The ongoing Gaza operation, aimed to free the abducted soldier and halt Palestinian militant rocket firing, is the first major Israeli military move in Gaza since Israel quit the coastal strip last summer after 38 years of military rule.

Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, took part in the June 25 raid on an Israeli army post, during which Shalit was kidnapped and two other Israeli soldiers were also killed.

But the Hamas-led Palestinian government said that it did not order the attack and had no foreknowledge of the abduction, accusing Israel of using the kidnapping as a pretext to topple its rule.

Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, is sworn to Israel's destruct.

The group took power in late March following a January election victory.

Source: Xinhua