Hamas rules out fresh truce

By James Rodgers BBC correspondent in Gaza

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has ruled out renewing the unilateral truce with Israel it declared in June and which collapsed a few weeks later.

Dr Abdel Aziz Rantissi, a Hamas leader, did say the group would consider stopping attacks on Israeli civilians.

Dr Rantissi has been in hiding since Israel attempted to kill him in a helicopter strike in June.

Now he has stated Hamas's position amid speculation that Palestinian leaders want to discuss a truce with militants.

Hamas is one of Israel's deadliest enemies

The group will consider stopping attacks on Israeli civilians but rule out a unilateral ceasefire of a kind declared earlier this year.

He said such a step could not be taken while what he called Israeli aggression continued.

Dr Rantissi dismissed negotiations as a means for Israel to frustrate Palestinian demands for statehood.

He said that the main sponsor of the peace process, the United States, would not protect Palestinian rights.

Hamas has been responsible for the majority of the suicide bombings which have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians.

The Palestinian Authority has so far fought shy of acceding to Israeli and US demands that the group be disarmed, fearing that such a move could provoke civil war among Palestinians.