Israel reportedly has held off on a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in order to give cease-fire talks a chance to work.
News reports on Tuesday cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the ground invasion was delayed as Egypt attempts to negotiate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said Tuesday following his sister's funeral that a truce deal could be concluded in the coming hours, Reuters reported, citing an Egyptian news agency. Egypt reportedly has been passing the draft of a cease-fire agreement between negotiators from Hamas and Israel in Cairo since Monday night.
Hamas reportedly has demanded that Israel stop surgical strikes on Gaza and lift the blockade of the coastal territory. Israel reportedly has called for a halt to rocket fire from Gaza on Israel as well as an end to weapons smuggling from Egypt, according to Reuters.
“I prefer a diplomatic solution,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before a meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Jerusalem. “I hope we can get one, but if not, we have every right to defend ourselves with other means, and we shall use them.”
Foreign leaders have pressed Israel to agree to a cease-fire. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived Tuesday in Israel to encourage a cease-fire, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to arrive Tuesday evening.
Israel is calling up 75,000 reserve troops in preparation for a ground operation. The tank and infantry units have been massed on the Israel-Gaza border.
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