Israel mulled proposals for a truce to its Gaza offensive
on Wednesday but ruled out any temporary halts, as jets pounded
Hamas targets for a fifth day and the Islamists pummelled
Israel with rockets.
Amid mushrooming protests around the globe, the world's top
diplomats scrambled to find a way to end one of Israel's deadliest-ever
offensives on Gaza that has so far killed at least 390 Palestinians.
The Israeli security cabinet convened in Tel Aviv to consider
international proposals of a truce , with a senior government
official telling AFP the Jewish state would not agree to a
French offer of a 48-hour lull.
"The proposition by the French Foreign Minister Bernard
Kouchner for a unilateral temporary ceasefire is not useful
as it is evident that Hamas will not stop firing rockets against
Israel," said the official on condition of anonymity.
A foreign ministry spokesman said that the Jewish state would
only consider a permanent halt to its operation, under the
condition that Hamas stops firing rockets and acquiring arms.
