Having killed over 1300 and blatantly infringed war-time civilian rights, Israeli ground forces which seized positions in the former evacuated Jewish settlement of Nitzarim in southern Gaza City on January 4, withdrew on Sunday evening, the action came some 48 hours before a significant change in the White House.
US President George Bush, a key Israel ally, steps down on Tuesday to make way for President-elect Barack Obama.
Since the beginning of Israeli strikes in Gaza began on December 27, Observers had said that the offensive would see a considerable downturn around January 20, when the presidential terms concludes.
Most of the contentions between the Gaza authority controlled by Hamas and Israel remain unresolved as Jerusalem has repeatedly iterated that it may continue to embargo traffic of goods into Gaza.
Hamas on its part, earlier, has been saying that no truce would be acceptable unless accompanied specific guarantees that Israel would stop blocking its borders with Egypt and allow free flow of commodities into the strip.
As Hamas traffic police reappeared on the Gaza strip to direct vehicular traffic late on Sunday, media reports questioned the utility of the excruciating destruction Israel unleashed on civilian life in the region.
Israel has faced massive international criticism after it started air strikes on the strip, two days after Christmas. Under the scanner on Sunday was Israel’s repeated refusal to respect UN advisories on the blockade of Gaza borders and the UNSC resolutions that sought an immediate end to hostilities.
Observers added that the present punctuation in hostilities may be brief, as Jerusalem may yet again start armed action in the strip after sounding out President Barack Obama’s administration, on a number of unresolved issues between Israel and the Hamas that governs the Gaza.
Witnesses on Sunday said dozens of Israeli army tanks and vehicles withdrew from Nitzarim as well as the position it seized on the main highway of Salah el-Dein that links Gaza City with central and southern Gaza Strip.
After days of intensive Israeli airstrikes on hundreds of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, Israel carried out a deep ground incursion into south, east and north Gaza city as well as into the northern Gaza Strip areas.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared an end of the Israeli military air and ground offensive. However, he said troops would keep seizing positions until homemade rocket attacks on Israel stop.
On Sunday, Palestinian factions, including Hamas said in a written statement sent to reporters that they accepted a ceasefire and gave the Israeli army one-week ultimatum to withdraw from entire Gaza Strip.
However, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in a statement also sent to reporters that it rejects any ceasefire with Israel, adding "armed resistance are to continue as long as there is one Israeli soldier in Gaza."
Residents living near the border between eastern and northern Gaza Strip and Israel said that there are still Israeli army tanks seizing positions into the enclave's territory and haven't fully completed its withdrawal from those areas.
However, Israel had earlier announced that there is no time limit for a complete withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, adding that the withdrawal might be gradual to test whether the ceasefire would be active or not.
Meanwhile, Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein told reporters that the health ministry rescue teams found the bodies of 100 Palestinians killed during the three-week Israeli military aggression on Gaza Strip.
US President George Bush, a key Israel ally, steps down on Tuesday to make way for President-elect Barack Obama.
Since the beginning of Israeli strikes in Gaza began on December 27, Observers had said that the offensive would see a considerable downturn around January 20, when the presidential terms concludes.
Most of the contentions between the Gaza authority controlled by Hamas and Israel remain unresolved as Jerusalem has repeatedly iterated that it may continue to embargo traffic of goods into Gaza.
Hamas on its part, earlier, has been saying that no truce would be acceptable unless accompanied specific guarantees that Israel would stop blocking its borders with Egypt and allow free flow of commodities into the strip.
As Hamas traffic police reappeared on the Gaza strip to direct vehicular traffic late on Sunday, media reports questioned the utility of the excruciating destruction Israel unleashed on civilian life in the region.
Israel has faced massive international criticism after it started air strikes on the strip, two days after Christmas. Under the scanner on Sunday was Israel’s repeated refusal to respect UN advisories on the blockade of Gaza borders and the UNSC resolutions that sought an immediate end to hostilities.
Observers added that the present punctuation in hostilities may be brief, as Jerusalem may yet again start armed action in the strip after sounding out President Barack Obama’s administration, on a number of unresolved issues between Israel and the Hamas that governs the Gaza.
Witnesses on Sunday said dozens of Israeli army tanks and vehicles withdrew from Nitzarim as well as the position it seized on the main highway of Salah el-Dein that links Gaza City with central and southern Gaza Strip.
After days of intensive Israeli airstrikes on hundreds of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, Israel carried out a deep ground incursion into south, east and north Gaza city as well as into the northern Gaza Strip areas.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared an end of the Israeli military air and ground offensive. However, he said troops would keep seizing positions until homemade rocket attacks on Israel stop.
On Sunday, Palestinian factions, including Hamas said in a written statement sent to reporters that they accepted a ceasefire and gave the Israeli army one-week ultimatum to withdraw from entire Gaza Strip.
However, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in a statement also sent to reporters that it rejects any ceasefire with Israel, adding "armed resistance are to continue as long as there is one Israeli soldier in Gaza."
Residents living near the border between eastern and northern Gaza Strip and Israel said that there are still Israeli army tanks seizing positions into the enclave's territory and haven't fully completed its withdrawal from those areas.
However, Israel had earlier announced that there is no time limit for a complete withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, adding that the withdrawal might be gradual to test whether the ceasefire would be active or not.
Meanwhile, Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein told reporters that the health ministry rescue teams found the bodies of 100 Palestinians killed during the three-week Israeli military aggression on Gaza Strip.
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