After the threat of fully reoccupying Gaza was publicly thrown around by Israeli officials, it now looks as though the winds have dramatically shifted as a possible ceasefire is being discussed by Israel and Hamas through Egyptian mediators. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered a halt to raids in the Gaza Strip due to a significant reduction in the number of Qassam rockets being fired across the border in the past three days.

Hamas officials said in recent days that their armed wing would stop firing Qassam rockets if Israel halted its military operations. A similar remark was also made by Israeli PM Olmert that Israel would cease bombing Gazans if the rocket launchings ceased.

Hossam Zaki, spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry, confirmed that Cairo had been in contact with representatives from both sides and there had been some progress.

“There is an interest on both parties in a period of calm and the issue now is to discuss whether there will be guarantees … that the military confrontations and operation will not occur again,” he told Al Jazeera.

Hamas sources told Al Jazeera that the Palestinians are not only calling for an end to the military action, but also the reopening of the Rafah crossing and the lifting of the siege on Gaza.

Zaki told Al Jazeera that the border issue was one of the top priorities for the Egyptians after thousands of Gazans poured into Sinai when Israel stopped deliveries of essential items to the strip.

Both Israeli Defense officials and Hamas leaders have insisted that no formal truce has been agreed upon, but both sides shared similar hopes for diplomacy. “It seems that Hamas has decided for now not to shoot, and we’re not shooting either,” said an Israeli government official. Ahmed Youssef, an adviser to Hamas, said; “We hope the Israelis will understand that the time has come to lift the sanctions. We would like to lay the foundations for peaceful discussions.”

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