Hamas says ready to truce with Israel

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hamas is ready to agree to an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel, its military wing has said.

Hamas is committed to halt three days of fighting, "as long as the occupation [Israel] stops this aggression", the al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

Eight Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza since Monday. Several Israelis have been hurt in a hail of rocket fire from Gaza.

In its statement on the Egyptian-brokered truce, the al-Qassam Brigades said it and "all resistance factions declare our commitment to stop this round of confrontation", as long as Israel did the same, according to BBC News.

"Our confrontation with the enemy in this round was at the minimal level of fire and responses, this is a message that [Israeli] leaders should understand very well," it added.

It admitted it was responsible for launching 96 rockets and nine mortars at the Jewish state.

It is the first time Hamas has said it was directly involved in attacks against Israel for more than a year, although Israel believes Hamas allows smaller militant groups to carry out strikes.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a truce deal, reports said.

But in a statement it was quoted as saying it would "continue to operate with perseverance and determination against those who use terror against the state of Israel".