FOUR PALESTINIAN militants were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza yesterday as tit-for-tat violence continued despite almost daily comments from leaders on both sides that the five-month-old truce can be restored, writes Mark Weiss
The gunmen, members of the Hamas-affiliated Popular Resistance Committees, were firing mortars when they were targeted by an Israeli aircraft.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum threatened retaliation. "Today's crime will not pass without punishment," he said.
Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert issued a counter-threat, warning that Israel would not tolerate the price tag that the militant organisations were attempting to set. "We will strike anyone who tries to violate the truce," said Mr Olmert, speaking during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
The prime minister ordered the defence forces to present plans for various operations against the Hamas regime in Gaza.
"We are not eager for battle but we do not fear it," Mr Olmert said.
Other ministers called for immediate military action. Transportation minister Shaul Mofaz, a former defence minister, advocated assassinating Hamas leaders in Gaza, warning that Israeli deterrence was wearing thin while Hamas was getting stronger.
Mr Mofaz said Israel's policy of sealing off Gaza and preventing the supply of goods, water and electricity was not having the desired effect because the rocket fire into southern Israel was continuing.
Prior to the Israeli air strike Palestinians fired two rockets into an Israeli border community.
More than 170 rockets have landed in Israel in the last two weeks after Israel violated the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire to destroy a tunnel being constructed just inside the Gaza Strip.
Since then Israeli forces have killed 15 militants.
In response to the rocket attacks from Gaza Israel has sealed off the strip and has prevented goods crossing through Israeli-manned checkpoints.
UN aid workers are warning that the population in Gaza is increasingly desperate.
The two-week closure has depleted stocks, leaving UN warehouses empty. The UN Relief and Works Agency usually distributes food and basic supplies to some 750,000 Gazans - about half of the population of the densely crowded territory.
Despite the violence, Mr Olmert will host Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem today.
Mr Abbas will urge the Israeli leader to prevent a further deterioration. The Palestinian leader has had little influence over events in Gaza since his bitter rivals Hamas seized control of the coastal strip last year. The two leaders are meeting even though both sides have acknowledged that the deadline set by Washington for clinching a peace deal before President Bush leaves office cannot be met.
The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said that the two men would attempt to summarise the agreements which have been reached in the year of talks since the peace process was relaunched at a conference hosted by Mr Bush in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Palestinian president also intends to raise the issue of ongoing Israeli construction in West Bank settlements.