Israel pounds Gaza ahead of truce vote

Dozens of targets hit as Hamas says it will reject any unilateral truce which does not meet its demands.

Palestinian civilians and medics run to safety during an Israeli strike over a UN school in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, today.

GAZA CITY // Israeli aircraft pounded 50 Hamas positions today as the country's top leaders prepared for a crucial vote on whether to end Israel's punishing three-week-long campaign against Gaza's rulers. Hamas, meanwhile, said it would reject any unilateral ceasefire which ignored its demands. The vote on the Egyptian-brokered truce proposal follows a signing of a "memorandum of understanding" in Washington DC between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni that calls for expanded intelligence co-operation between their two countries to prevent Hamas from rearming.

Mrs Livni called the deal, reached on the final working day of the Bush administration, "a vital complement for a cessation of hostility." It paved the path for Saturday night's vote in the 12-member security cabinet. Israel was expected to approve the Egyptian proposal, under which fighting would stop immediately for 10 days. Israeli forces would remain in Gaza and the border crossings into the territory would remain closed until security arrangements were made to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons into the territory.

Under the deal, Egypt would shut down weapons smuggling routes with international help, and discussions on opening Gaza's blockaded border crossings - Hamas' key demand - would take place at a later date. However, Hamas will continue fighting against Israel if none of its demands for a ceasefire are met, an official from the group said today. Apparently reacting to reports that Israel could call off its offensive and declare a unilateral ceasefire without considering Hamas' demands, Beirut-based Osama Hamdan said fighting would continue. "Today, the movement's delegation arrives in Cairo. To be clear, we have nothing new to offer. We are not going to go back to the first point in the discussions and dialogue. Either we hear what we want or the result will be continuing the confrontation on the ground," said Mr Hamdan, who is close to movement leader Khaled Mashaal. He added that for Israel to call a unilateral ceasefire while negotiations are underway in Cairo undermines the mediators, a reference to Egypt that has been promoting its own initiative to end the fighting and resolve the long-running crisis. A Hamas delegation was set to arrive in Cairo today amid the frenzied international diplomacy to end 22 days of fighting. Mr Hamdan said Hamas has a clear vision that includes ending the "aggression", a withdrawal of Israeli forces, an end to the siege and opening of the crossings. "If any vision does not achieve these things, then we will continue in the battle on the ground," he said. In the meantime, battles raged on in Gaza today. An Israel tank shell killed two near a UN school in Gaza, said a Palestinian health official. Dr Moaiya Hassanain said a woman and boy were killed and 25 wounded when an Israeli tank shell landed near a UN school for boys today. The military and the UN had no immediate comment. On Thursday, Israeli shells set ablaze a warehouse at the UN Gaza headquarters. Earlier in the fighting, 30 were killed at a different UN school. Israel says Hamas uses UN positions for cover when firing rockets. Palestinian medics say the fighting has killed at least 1,140 Palestinians - roughly half of them civilians - and Israel's bombing campaign caused massive destruction in the Gaza Strip. Thirteen Israelis have been killed, four by rocket fire and nine in ground battles in Gaza. Israel Radio reported that a truce summit could be held in Cairo as early as tomorrow with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and Israeli leaders in attendance.

The military said its planes struck 50 Hamas locations overnight, including rocket-launching sites, smuggling tunnels, weapons storehouses, bunkers and minefields. There were no reports of Palestinian rocket fire. The violence followed Israeli envoy Amos Gilad's journey to Cairo yesterday. He returned to report "substantial progress" in truce talks with Egyptian mediators, prime minister Ehud Olmert's office announced. "I hope we are entering the endgame and that our goal of sustained and durable quiet in the south is about to be attained," Mr Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said. The Israeli vote comes ahead of the president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday, and Israeli elections next month.

* AP