'Israel rules out Hamas contacts, threatens forceFebruary 2, 2009 at 4:53 PM EST
HERZLIYA, Israel — The Israeli foreign minister pledged Monday to keep hitting Hamas as long as it attacks Israel, ruling out negotiations with the militant Islamic rulers of Gaza just eight days before national elections in which she is running for prime minister.
Tzipi Livni's tough statement came as a Hamas delegation discussed terms for a long-term truce with Israel through Egyptian mediators, building on a two-week informal cease-fire that followed Israel's bruising offensive in Gaza.
Events Monday underlined the urgency of the talks in Cairo. An Israeli missile hit a car in the town of Rafah, killing a Palestinian militant, hours after warplanes bombed the nearby Gaza-Egypt border seeking to destroy tunnels that Hamas uses to smuggle in weapons and supplies.
The Israeli military said the target of the air strike was a car carrying militants who fired mortars at Israel. Palestinian officials said a militant in the car was killed and another was wounded, along with two bystanders.
The attacks were retaliation for more than a dozen rockets and mortar shells fired from Gaza on Sunday. The fire decreased considerably Monday, with the military saying that two mortar shells exploded at a border crossing in southern Gaza during the day.
In Cairo, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the group, which calls for the destruction of Israel, would make its decision about a truce Monday or Tuesday after final talks with Egyptian mediators.
He said the delegation would listen to "the summary of the Egyptian contacts and talks that have been conducted with the Israelis or other concerned parties." Israel and Hamas refuse to deal directly with each other.
In Syria, Mohammed Nasr, a member of the exiled leadership of Hamas, said the group was ready for a one-year truce with Israel in exchange for reopening the Gaza Strip's borders and lifting the economic blockade.'
HERZLIYA, Israel — The Israeli foreign minister pledged Monday to keep hitting Hamas as long as it attacks Israel, ruling out negotiations with the militant Islamic rulers of Gaza just eight days before national elections in which she is running for prime minister.
Tzipi Livni's tough statement came as a Hamas delegation discussed terms for a long-term truce with Israel through Egyptian mediators, building on a two-week informal cease-fire that followed Israel's bruising offensive in Gaza.
Events Monday underlined the urgency of the talks in Cairo. An Israeli missile hit a car in the town of Rafah, killing a Palestinian militant, hours after warplanes bombed the nearby Gaza-Egypt border seeking to destroy tunnels that Hamas uses to smuggle in weapons and supplies.
The Israeli military said the target of the air strike was a car carrying militants who fired mortars at Israel. Palestinian officials said a militant in the car was killed and another was wounded, along with two bystanders.
The attacks were retaliation for more than a dozen rockets and mortar shells fired from Gaza on Sunday. The fire decreased considerably Monday, with the military saying that two mortar shells exploded at a border crossing in southern Gaza during the day.
In Cairo, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the group, which calls for the destruction of Israel, would make its decision about a truce Monday or Tuesday after final talks with Egyptian mediators.
He said the delegation would listen to "the summary of the Egyptian contacts and talks that have been conducted with the Israelis or other concerned parties." Israel and Hamas refuse to deal directly with each other.
In Syria, Mohammed Nasr, a member of the exiled leadership of Hamas, said the group was ready for a one-year truce with Israel in exchange for reopening the Gaza Strip's borders and lifting the economic blockade.'
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