Hamas officials in response to the political-security cabinet decision on Wednesday stated Israeli is not serious. Terrorist officials stated that Israel speaks of a truce, a halt in hostilities, but simultaneously is preparing for war.

The cabinet following a five-hour meeting announced it was going to give Egyptian negotiators another opportunity to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas but unlike previous ceasefires, the army will be preparing to launch a major incursion into Gaza should the Egyptian initiative fail.

The majority of ministers favor an IDF operation at present, but the ‘trio’, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are determined to give Egypt another chance.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)