Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has condemned Israel's counter-terrorist offensive in Gaza, charging that the IDF is using excessive force. He also criticized Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for stating that the targeting of terrorists would continue even if Hamas agrees to a ceasefire.

Hamas said last November it would honor a Gaza ceasefire announced by Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, but it has violated it several times. Rocket firing on Sderot has killed two people in the past week.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister also asserted that the IDF actions against terrorists will not succeed in stopping rocket attacks on Israel and will cause the deaths of civilians and hurt the staggering economy.