Ceasefire in Gaza remains elusive

Peroshni Govender, Jerusalem
Palestinian militant groups from Gaza meeting in Cairo have agreed in principle to a ceasefire that will start in the embattled Gaza Strip and extend to the West Bank, but despite this, militants in Gaza have continued to hit Israeli towns bordering Gaza with more than a dozen rockets and mortars.

The Israeli security cabinet met earlier today and many ministers opposed a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, militant groups have agreed to stop firing rockets into southern Israel but only if the ceasefire is reciprocated and Israel lifts its siege on the coastal enclave. The proposed six month truce will start in Gaza and later extend to the West Bank.

Israel is down-playing its involvement in the Egyptian brokered talks. When the Israeli cabinet met today, ministers objected to a lull in fighting. They said militant groups will use the time to regroup, rearm and recruit more operatives. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he will wait for defence officials to examine the terms of any truce before making a decision.