国际英语新闻：Israel rejects calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

PARIS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni rejected here on Thursday calls for an immediate ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

    After meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Livni said: "There is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and therefore there is no need for a humanitarian truce," rejecting French proposal for a 48-hour truce to allow humanitarian aid in Gaza.

    She also said: "We understand that while operating in the Gaza Strip against Hamas, we need to ease the life of the civilian population."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni speaks to reporters after a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris,Jan.1,2009.

    The foreign minister noted that when Israel would halt its military actions against Hamas of Palestine will be decided on their daily assessment result. "We affected most of the infrastructure of terror within the Gaza Strip and the question whether it's enough will be according to an assessment on a daily basis," she said.

    More than 400 people have been killed and 2,000 wounded in the Gaza Strip since Saturday. Sarkozy is to fly to the Middle East region from next Monday for an end to fighting between Israel and Hamas. Besides, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is expected to travel to the region.