Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) "is not ready to make difficult decisions." In a tour near northern Gaza, he also insisted that Israel has made no agreement through mediators for a truce with Hamas.

"There has been no change in what we are doing" and we expect other attempts by terrorists to attack, from Lebanon as well as from Gaza, he added. "Security is our only consideration, but retaliation must be taken wisely." The IDF has not responded to Tuesday's Grad rocket attack on Ashkelon.