Middle East News
Hamas suspends ceasefire talks following West Bank violence
Dec 3, 2006, 14:52 GMT
Gaza/Tel Aviv - The Islamic Hamas movement said Sunday it was breaking off talks with other Palestinian factions on ways of enforcing a ceasefire imposed in the Gaza Strip one week ago because of Israeli military activity in the West Bank.
The movement said in a leaflet sent to reporters that 'ongoing (Israeli) violence in the West Bank 'threatened' the fragile Gaza truce.
The Hamas statement came as Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz repeated Israel's refusal to expand the ceasefire to the West Bank and said Israeli military activities there would continue.
Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian youth in West Bank city of Nablus Sunday afternoon, while he was on his way back to school, witnesses said.
The incident took place as soldiers clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators.
Further south, in Hebron, medical officials said an eight-year-old boy was critically wounded after an Israeli settler opened fire.
Palestinian militants meanwhile fired a Qassam rocket at Israel from the Gaza Strip early Sunday morning. The rocket, the 15th fired since the truce came into effect one week ago, caused neither damage nor injuries.
Palestinian security officials said Israeli artillery was shelling suspected rocket launching sites in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon.
An Israeli army spokesman said he was checking the report.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Terrific TruceDec 3rd, 2006 - 18:40:04
Goin great!
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