10-Day Truce Proposed in Talks With Hamas, Israel

Hamas has so far publicly resisted deploying international monitors and has demanded a role in policing the borders. Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group and has always rejected a policing role.

Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), right,...

Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), right, inspects the damage after a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza hit a house in Sderot, southern Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. Israel showed no signs of slowing its bruising 19-day offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers, striking some 60 targets on Wednesday. Israel launched the onslaught on Dec. 27, seeking to punish the Hamas militant group for years of rocket attacks on southern Israel. The offensive has killed more than 940 Palestinians, half of them civilians, according to Palestinian hospital officials. (AP Photo / Bernat Armangue)

(AP)
More Photos

Only after a deal on border security has been reached would the crossings be opened and Israel withdraw, the officials said.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit underlined that all elements must fall into place — the cease-fire, the security arrangements, and the eventual opening of border crossings and Israeli withdrawal. Otherwise, "we will end up with a truce but without reconciliation or with a truce that will be broken," he said.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah called for a meeting of Gulf countries on Gaza Thursday, while Qatar sought an emergency summit Friday of the Arab League. Arab countries have been struggling with how to address the crisis, with some pushing for a strong response against Israel and others willing to put more pressure on Hamas.

Related

WATCH: Civilian Suffering in Gaza

Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a BBC interview that Hamas is ready for a "sustainable cease-fire," and Syria is working for a truce, the first indication Syria was involved in the cease-fire effort. Assad expressed concern that the fighting could fuel extremism and terrorism around the Arab world.

Maj. Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, said the army has destroyed 60 percent to 70 percent of the smuggling tunnels along the Egyptian border. She also said Israel has reduced Hamas' rocket capabilities by 90 percent, from about 200 a day before the offensive to 20 or 30 each day.

Hamas militants fired a phosphorus shell into Israel for the first time, hitting a field near the border town of Sderot but causing no casualties, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

———

Associated Press writers Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City, Amy Teibel in Jerusalem and Sarah El Deeb in Cairo contributed to this report.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.