Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday reiterated that his nation must ensure an end to both anti-Israel rocket fire from and weaponry smuggling into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip before accepting any ceasefire.

"We want the attacks on Israel's residents to stop once and for all," enabling southern residents to live in "the same quiet that residents of Paris, London, New York and other places enjoy," local news service Ynet quoted him as saying at a ceremony at a French-Israeli school.

"No more, but no less either. This is not an excessive demand. I don't think we have any less of a right than any other country to defend our residents that are not getting this basic right, to live in peace and without fear," he added.

Amid fears that the Islamist group Hamas, which Israel blacklists as a terrorist organization, might rearm itself and continue to attack Israel in the future, the Jewish state has also conditioned any possible truce on a mechanism to prevent the alleged weaponry smuggling between Egypt and Gaza.

"We thank the Egyptian president for the effort Egypt is making... I hope these efforts together yield a result that will allow an end to the battle," said Olmert, referring to the Egyptian mediation.

Blaming Hamas for the civilian deaths in the Israeli on slaught, Olmert was quoted as saying that Israel did not declare war with the Gazan people and that "We hope with all our hearts that this violent strife ends swiftly."

Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's Security-Diplomatic Bureau, is expected to visit Cairo soon for the second time in a week for talks with Egyptian officials over a possible ceasefire. He said that the Egyptian efforts have allowed a ceasefire to be within reach.

Olmert's remarks came as the so-called Operation Cast Lead enters its 17th day, which has so far killed over 900 people and injured over 4,100 others in the Palestinian enclave. Thirteen have died on the Israeli side, including four killed in rocket attacks from Gaza.

Although Israeli officials has stressed that Hamas has sustained significant loss, Gazan militants on Monday continued firing at southern Israel. The Israeli army noted on Sunday that the daily number of such attacks have decreased by half since the operation began on December 27.

On Sunday, Olmert told a cabinet meeting that Israel is nearing its goals set for the Gaza offensive, yet "further patience, determination and effort" were required "so that our citizens can feel safety and stability."

The Israeli army on Sunday began deploying reservist troops to the Gaza Strip, triggering speculation that Israel might expand the current operation ahead of the endgame of the massive operation.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2009)