Hamas Rejects Egypt-Initiated Ceasefire as Israeli Cabinet Set to Discuss Truce

An illumination flare above the northern Gaza Strip is seen at the border with GazaReuters

The armed wing of Hamas has rejected any ceasefire option in the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict even as the Israeli cabinet is set to discuss truce.

Vowing to "intensify" the fighting, the militant group insisted they will not lay down their arms as long as Israeli forces are occupying Palestinian territories.

"No official or unofficial side has approached us about the ceasefire talked about in the media... [But] if the contents of this proposal are true, it is a surrender and we reject it outright," according to a statement from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

The organisation said it "opposes the Egyptian proposal, which constitutes a surrender and isn't worth a thing. Our battle with the enemy will escalate and we will be true to the blood of the martyrs".

The ceasefire proposal was put forth following a series of high-level talks in Cairo in which all sides participated.

Although the armed wing opposed the truce, the political arm of the group, which controls Gaza, confirmed they are discussing various options in a bid to resolve the crisis.

Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy chief of the Hamas political bureau, said in televised statement aired by al-Aqsa channel: "Yes there are contacts and there are countries intervening. Our people were avoiding the war but the Zionist enemy began it, he announced it, he prepared for it, he started to kill the women, children and families, destroy homes. Entire families were eliminated."

"Every drop of blood is dear to us. My heart and all the people are standing beside these families, but this bloodshed pushes us towards being more committed to our rights and to stopping this aggression, to end this situation in Gaza and West Bank."

The Egyptian initiative has been welcomed by the US which expressed the hope that "this will lead to the restoration of calm as soon as possible".

Meanwhile, the Israeli cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to discuss the situation. The premier is expected to convince right-wing cabinet members of the need to scale down the attacks on the Gaza Strip.

In the week-long confrontation, at least 178 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,000 injured. So far there have been no casualties on the Israeli side.