Israel will host an Egyptian mediator on Monday to hear a proposal for a truce with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, although Israel would still refuse direct negotiations with the Islamist faction, Israeli officials said.
Following talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman in Cairo last month, Hamas offered a six-month halt to hostilities in Gaza if Israel were also to lift a crippling embargo on the coastal Palestinian territory.
A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rebuffed the initiative when it was broached, but Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai signaled possible flexibility on Sunday.
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- 15:35Syria asks UN to exert pressure on Israel to stop its agression against Syrian citizens in Golan Heights
- 15:33Search for missing Bedouin boy continues
- 4/7/08 11:19Iranian official: Any military operation against us will be considered war
- 4/7/08 11:16Steinitz: Israel must demolish terrorist's house today
- 4/7/08 11:15Washington: Iran must halt enrichment before negotiations
- 4/7/08 11:13Father of baby who survived Jerusalem attack found after mother killed
- 4/7/08 11:11PM: If we need to demolish houses, we'll demolish houses
- 4/7/08 11:00Olmert: Israel's problem is that it has no borders
- 4/7/08 10:58Iranian Noble laureate calls for peace
- 4/7/08 10:57Barak, IDF Chief Ashkenazi to head to US for security talks
- 4/7/08 10:56Israel, Syria to continue indirect talks
- 4/7/08 10:54Palestinians hurl explosive devices at IDF force in Nablus; no injuries reported
- 4/7/08 10:52High Court rules body of rabbi's wife to be buried without autopsy
