国际英语新闻:Fragile Israeli-Gaza Cease-Fire Begins

Before word of the truce came, attacks rocked  both sides of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Inside Israel, a bomb blast on a bus in central Tel Aviv injured at least 20 people on Wednesday, some seriously.

Israel police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says security teams are on high alert.

"As far as we're concerned, what took place is there was at least a package or possibly a suicide bomber that planted a device and maybe left the scene," he said. "The investigation is continuing at the moment, and we're looking in a number of different directions.

"We've heightened security around the area, including roadblocks that have been set up, and we're not taking any chances whatsoever, in order to prevent a further attack from taking place," he said.

In Gaza City, news of the Tel Aviv attack met with approval from Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, who called the bombing revenge for civilian deaths in Gaza in recent days.

"Hamas sends congratulations for this operation which occurred in Tel Aviv and confirms that this is the normal response for targeting the Daloo family and Palestinian women and children," he said. "We will use all means to protect our Palestinian people whilst facing aggression which is targeting Palestinian women and children."

Renewed volleys

New rounds of missile and air attacks rained down on Gaza following the Tel Aviv attack.  Palestinians medics say so far Wednesday at least 10 people were killed, including a young boy.

Israel and Hamas have traded rocket fire since an Israeli missile killed Hamas' military chief in Gaza City last week. Israel says the attack was a direct response to months of almost daily rocket fire into southern Israel from Gaza.
Reporting from Gaza, VOA Correspondant Scott Bobb said, "If this conflict has done anything, it has rallied support for the Hamas group, which had a sizable opposition among the population here, and has also rallied support for Hamas in other parts of the West Bank and perhaps even other parts of the Arab world."

He added the current conflict has served to polarize both sides, making people more angry and afraid.

Some of that anger was visible Wednesday outside the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where shop owners distributed cakes and candies upon hearing of the Israeli bus explosion.

"They took our land and we must take it back by force," said one. "What was taken by force can only be returned by force."

Palestinians blame Israel

Abbas said he was working with the U.N., Jordan and the U.S. toward a peaceful solution but was adamant Israel is to blame.

"There is no doubt that Israel holds the responsibility, because despite all the tension between Gaza and Israel, Israel has started all the assassinations, and it assassinated one of Hamas leaders, which led to an escalation of the situations in those areas," he said.
Abbas does has little influence in Hamas-ruled Gaza, but his West Bank government could be instrumental in implementing a cease-fire agreement on the Gaza side.

Also Wednesday, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby voiced support for the people in Gaza, affirming their right to fight back.

"Gaza is an occupied territory and all the people of the world have the right to resist occupation," he said. "No one could imagine the tragic circumstances that the Palestinian people are living through."

In Tel Aviv, Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau accused Hamas of putting all of Israel under siege.

"The whole state of Israel is a front line," he said. "There is no front and back, we are all in the front, and if someone hesitated, if this is true, the bus today in Saul Hamelech Boulevard is the best proof."