News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Israel might agree to an informal and tacit truce with Gaza terrorists if they stop smuggling weapons and halt attacks on Israel, Reuters News Agency reported. Egypt has announced that a dozen terrorist organizations agreed to a ceasefire, although the proposal does not mention the smuggling of weapons. The move was conditioned on a cessation of attacks and smuggling, but no mechanism was provided for enforcing the terms of the agreement.Terrorists have brought into Gaza a huge stockpile of arms and explosives since the Israeli government destroyed Jewish communities in the area and withdrew all forces.

A security cabinet official told Reuters, "There will not be a signed agreement between Israel and Hamas, obviously, but there is nothing to stop each side from independently making an undertaking with the Egyptians. That, in effect, would be a tacit truce deal."

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter (Kadima) and several other Security Cabinet ministers sharply opposed the proposed truce, citing the likelihood that terrorists will exploit it to smuggle in more weapons and prepare for what they said will be the next round of escalating attacks on Israel.