Israel on Wednesday turned down a France-proposed initiative for a 48-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the missiles-battered Gaza Strip, reported local daily Ha'aretz.
The denial to the proposal, which was aimed to allow the flow of humanitarian aid into the coastal territory, was reached by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who failed to reach a decision in a late night meeting Tuesday.
"That proposal contained no guarantees of any kind that Hamas will stop the rockets and smuggling," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor was quoted as saying. "It is not realistic to expect Israel to cease fire unilaterally with no mechanism to enforce thecessation of shooting and terror from Hamas."
Meanwhile, Palmor added that Israel had not rejected the proposal, one of several under consideration, outright, while another Israeli official was quoted as saying that France might propose amendments to its plan.
In talks with Olmert and Livni on Tuesday, Barak recommended seeking an exit from the battle within the next few days, and favored the French plan that would also be used to examine Hamas' willingness to agree on a long-term ceasefire, said the report, adding that the other two were less enthusiastic.
"There's no such thing as a 'humanitarian cease-fire.' Gaza is not undergoing a humanitarian crisis. We're constantly supplying it with food and medications, and there's no need for a humanitarian ceasefire," an aide to Olmert was quoted as saying onTuesday.
During a visit to the IDF Southern Command on Tuesday, Olmert received calls from most of the senior officers for him to authorize a ground operation, and sources at the meeting reportedly said their impression was that Olmert agreed.
However, local news service Ynet reported that although the leadership trio rejected the French offer, the issue might be raised again during an ongoing meeting on Wednesday morning.
In light of the increasing pressure from the international community, Israel might opt for a truce, said the report, adding that should the ceasefire fail, Israel will be able to say that it gave it a chance.
Despite Israel's devastating air raids, which the Israeli army said have given Hamas a serious blow, Gazan militants continued on Wednesday firing rockets and mortar shells at southern Israel.
The barrage has caused four deaths and over a dozen injuries on the Israeli side since Israel kicked off the ongoing offensive around Saturday noon, which has so far killed over 380 and injured over 1,600 in the Palestinian territory.
Israeli leaders have said that the Jewish state will not cease the assaults until security is restored to its southern land, and that ground maneuvers would be carried out if necessary.
The Israeli army has completed preparations for a possible ground incursion, with infantry troops and armored units waiting along the border.
Barak is also requesting ministers to greenlight a call-up of another 2,500 reserve forces soldiers, who would add to the 6,700 reservists mobilized earlier this week.
Source: Xinhua
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