Hamas Rules Out Renewing Gaza Truce

Source: Al-Manar TV, 18-12-2008
A Hamas spokesman on Thursday ruled out renewing the truce in and around the Gaza Strip and insisted the Palestinian movement had a duty to respond to any attack by "Israel".
A Hamas spokesman on Thursday ruled out renewing the truce in and around the Gaza Strip and insisted the Palestinian movement had a duty to respond to any attack by "Israel". "There is no possibility of renewing the truce which ends on December 19 (Friday). The Zionist enemy destroyed it," Fawzi Barhum said.
"Hamas has the right to respond to any Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people. It's a national duty," he said.
Palestinian resistance fighters earlier fired a new volley of rockets and mortar fire at occupied territories after "Israeli" occupation forces launched two air raids on the Strip overnight.
This came just one day before the official end of a six-month truce in and around the besieged Palestinian enclave.
"Israeli" warplanes conducted two nighttime air strikes against the Gaza Strip following rocket fire against occupied territories, witnesses said Thursday.
The raids, which targeted metal workshops in the towns of Jabaliya and Khan Yunis in the north and south caused extensive material damage but no injuries, witnesses and medical sources said.
The "Israeli" military confirmed the air strikes and claimed the workshops were used to manufacture rockets.
A Palestinian man was killed during an "Israeli" air raid on Gaza on Wednesday.