Under presure, Hamas renews call for cease-fire with Israel

Hamas has called for a cease-fire with Israel, a possible indication of the effects of the growing pressure the Islamic group faces after months of isolation in the Gaza Strip.

"Gaza's Hamas government is ready to offer a truce at this time," Mohammed Awad, a senior Hamas official, told a Gaza Web site affiliated with the Islamic group. Awad's office confirmed he had made the statement yesterday, which echoed similar calls by Hamas in recent months.

An Israeli government spokesman dismissed Awad's statement as a ploy.

Meanwhile, two Qassam rockets fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip struck the western Negev, causing no damage or injuries.

Gaza has been cut off from the rest of the world since Hamas violently seized control over the coastal strip in June. Awad said the truce would only be possible if it "helped to achieve some goals for our people" - likely meaning moves to open sealed border crossings into Israel and Egypt, relieve international economic sanctions, and a halt to Israeli army operations against Palestinian rocket squads.

The Arabic word Awad used, hudna, denotes a temporary cease-fire rather than a permanent peace. Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist, and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S. and EU.

David Baker, spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, accused Hamas of trying to buy time.

"We've seen Hamas and other terror organizations use these calls for a cease-fire as a mere ploy in order to allow them to rearm, regroup and reorganize," Baker said. "Israel will continue to take the necessary steps to defend its citizens, and will not sit idly by while these terrorist organizations continue to actively plan and eventually perpetrate terror attacks against us."