Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement on Sunday warned of military escalation if Israel rejected an Egypt-brokered ceasefire initiative.

    "If the Israeli occupation kept putting off any response to Cairo's proposals for a lull in Gaza, Hamas will have to deal with one of two options, the calmness or the escalation," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zurhi said, adding that "if it is the escalation, it will be unprecedented."

    Hamas waits Israel to give Egypt the final answer "only in a few days," Zurhi said.

    The spokesman did not rule out that Israel may reject the ceasefire offer, "and then all options will be open and the ball is now at the occupation's court."

    On Saturday, Hamas said it expects Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to visit Israel on Monday to get Israeli stance. The offer for calmness was made following a series of talks between Hamas and Egyptian officials pushed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who toured the region last month. Hamas has accepted that the ceasefire starts first in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip before expanding to the West Bank. Egypt also convinced other Palestinian factions to obey the lull when it takes place.

    Israel increased raids in the Gaza Strip and imposed a complete blockade on the impoverished territory since Hamas seized power by force last June.