Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has offered a complete halt to rocket attacks on Israel in return for the IDF's cessation of counterterrorist activities in Judea and Samaria as well in Gaza. Israel has denied several reports in which unnamed government officials have stated that the current lull in attacks and IDF actions is a result of an agreement made through Egyptian mediators.
"There must be a commitment by Israel, to end all its aggression against our people, assassinations, killings and raids, and lift the siege and reopen the crossings," Haniyeh said in a 90-minute speech in Gaza. "We will not abandon you, our people in the West Bank," Haniyeh said. "Aggression against you is aggression against us."
One Iranian-made Grad rocket was fired on Ashkelon Tuesday, but Israel did not retaliate. Wednesday morning, IDF soldiers killed an Islamic Jihad terrorist who was planning suicide bombings, but no further terrorist rocket attacks on the Negev were reported.