Hamas Armed Wing Threatens to End Gaza Truce

The armed wing of the Hamas movement which rules Gaza threatened Saturday to end a three-day-old Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel following a flurry of air strikes.

"The air raids by the Zionist enemy are new crimes. We will not stay silent in the face of the crimes," a statement from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said.

"Nobody will be able to blame our fighters when we respond," it added.

The Brigades had announced late on Wednesday that it was prepared to respect an Egyptian-brokered truce in and around Gaza provided Israel reciprocated.

The announcement came after a spate of deadly air strikes and retaliatory rocket fire into Israel.

"If our response was not sufficient to get the message through to the enemy, we stand ready to destroy his arrogance, stop his crimes and respond to his aggression," Saturday's statement said.