Rockets Strike Israel as Hamas Negotiates Gaza Truce (Update1)

[bemildred]

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck just south of the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon as officials from the Hamas Islamic movement said they were close to signing a truce that would halt such attacks.

This was the second such strike today, after another rocket fired from Gaza struck an Israeli agricultural settlement this morning, according to an Israeli army spokesman speaking on customary condition of anonymity. There were no reported injuries in either incident, the first rocket attacks since the morning of Feb. 6, the army said.

Rocket firings, and Israeli reprisals, have occurred sporadically since both Israel and Hamas announced unilateral cease-fires that brought an end to the Israeli military operation in Gaza on Jan. 18.

Officials from Hamas, which controls Gaza, are in Cairo negotiating with Egyptian mediators on a longer-term cease-fire agreement that would halt all rocket strikes in return for Israel easing restrictions on the Palestinian enclave’s border crossings.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aRG_AbaWIvBw&refer=worldwide

[Vegasaurus]

1. Don't worry, it isn't Hamas

just one of the dozen other groups of haters shooting at Israel.

So try for a truce (but don't worry that it won't include the other terrorists that Hamas can't control).

IT will be as successful as any of the last ones, meaning not at all.

[Duckhunter935]

2. Cease fire really only means one side ...........

Has to stop firing. Same thing happened the last time. Rocket and morter fire never really stopped from Gaza. I just can not wait untill they get better weapons and stop firing them.

[ohio2007]

3. How many is that since the cease fire? somebody must be keeping score.

Hamas should be alloted only one rocket attack per day. Seems they have to give better clarity on this issue

[EFerrari]

4. Gaza fishermen at risk as Israel hits arms smuggling

Gaza fishermen at risk as Israel hits arms smuggling
08 Feb 2009 14:24:43 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Andrew Hammond

GAZA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Nihad al-Hissi says he risks life and limb every day he takes to the sea to make a living.

Like several thousand other fishermen working from ports in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the young man in his 20s has to negotiate Israeli gunships patrolling the coast to stop arms getting into the Palestinian coastal enclave.

"They fired on this hasaka (small boat with motor) just two hours ago," he said, pointing to bullet holes in its side. "This was only 500 metres out."

Gaza fishermen say the distance from the coast where they are free to operate has diminished over the years, from 20 nautical miles (37 km) when the Palestinian Authority was set up in 1993 to 3 miles (5.6 km) since the Gaza war last month.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L891452.htm

What ceasefire?