Palestinian Gaza death toll rises above 1,000

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Cease-fire negotiations intensified on Wednesday as Israeli forces kept up the pressure on Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian death toll rose above 1,000 after 19 days of air and ground attacks.

An Israeli envoy will meet Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Thursday after a Hamas delegation concluded talks on an Egyptian truce proposal by repeating their demand that Israel withdraw its troops and lift a long-standing blockade on coastal Gaza.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former EU envoy to the Middle East, told reporters in the West Bank: "My perception is we are very close to reaching a cease-fire. They are very close but still there is some work to be done."

In Cairo, Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil said: "The movement has presented a detailed vision to the Egyptian leadership so it can continue its pursuit to end the aggression and lift the injustice on our people in the Gaza Strip."

Israel, which wants an end to rocket attacks on its towns and guarantees that Hamas cannot smuggle in more weapons from tunnels to neighbouring Egypt, said it would not agree to a truce allowing the Palestinian Islamists to regroup and rearm.

"Israel seeks a durable quiet that contains a total absence of hostile fire from Gaza into Israel and a working mechanism to prevent Hamas from rearming," said Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Having launched the Gaza offensive on December 27 to counter Palestinian rocket salvoes, the Israeli government has been opaque on whether the assault could be wrapped up or stepped up.

But political analysts see a possible deadline in Tuesday's installation of Barack Obama as U.S. president, after which Israel may be reluctant to test the support of the White House for a military campaign that has stirred an international outcry.