Mark Regev, Israeli Government Spokesman, said, "Israel welcomes the initiative of the French president and the Egyptian president to bring about a sustainable quiet in the south of Israel. That quiet has to be based of course on two fundamental principles. First of all there has to be a total and complete cessation of all hostile fire from Gaza into Israel. And secondly we have to see an arms embargo on Hamas that will be, will get, will receive, international support."

A Hamas delegate attended Tuesday's talks with Egypt's intelligence chief. The delegate said Hamas representatives will go back to Syria to discuss Mubarak's proposals.

A Hamas legislator warned that the group will not accept a proposal that continues subjecting Palestinians to fighting.

Mushir Al-Masri, Hamas Legislator, said, "There will be no success to any initiative as long as it would not secure the immediate end of the aggression against our people, lifting the closure and opening of the crossing, first of all the Rafah crossing. Speaking on the issue of the ceasefire alone is a crime, which compares the victim to the aggressor."

But while diplomats work out the details of a ceasefire, the number of casualties in Gaza keeps growing. Palestinian officials on Wednesday put the number of dead so far at 688.

The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights says 130 of those killed are children aged 16 and under.

(CCTV January 8, 2009)