Another opportunity for peace in West Asia has been lost with Israel rejecting a six-month ceasefire offer by Hamas. Former US President Jimmy Carter, who has been talking to Hamas leaders said that Hamas was prepared to accept Israel's right to “live as a neighbour next door in peace”. This is a significant shift. Hamas does not recognise Israel as a sovereign state. Its charter calls for an end to Israel. If it is indeed willing to accept Israel’s right to exist, it is a turning point. It is offering Israel more than an olive branch.

Israel should have reciprocated the Hamas truce. Instead, it has dismissed the Hamas offer as a ploy to gain time to regroup and prepare for more fighting. Meanwhile, at a meeting in Cairo, 12 Palestinian militant groups, including the Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) have agreed to an Egyptian proposal for a truce with Israel that would be implemented in stages starting in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and then moving to the West Bank. Islamic Jihad has subsequently clarified that it will not sign on to the deal but would respect the truce.

Even as talks on the ceasefire were in progress, Israel fired missiles into Gaza apparently aimed at militants but ended up killing a mother and her four children. Israel has blamed Hamas for the deaths, accusing it of using civilian as shields to hide militants. It is ordinary civilians that are having to bear the brunt of the Israeli embargo and of the violence and counterviolence. It is a pity that Israel remains unwilling to recognise and respond to opportunities that open up for a negotiated settlement to the conflict. The truce offer from Hamas might not be perfect but no ceasefire agreement is. A ceasefire provides space for the two sides to talk and ushers in a degree of peace. It is an opportunity to negotiate an end to violence. Israel is expecting too much if it thinks Hamas will give in to all its demands even before talks begin. It is of course encouraged by the significant concessions the Palestinian Liberation Organisation made ahead of talks in the 1990s. Talks can lead to a successful settlement but that requires compromise on both sides. It is still not too late. Israel should adopt a conciliatory approach. It should reciprocate Hamas’ ceasefire.