Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip called Tuesday on Palestinian factions to meet to assess ceasefire that was rocked by a new surge of violence.

    "We call on the factions to meet immediately to assess the lull and make the suitable decision unanimously," said Ihab al-Ghussein, spokesman for Hamas' interior ministry.

    "The Israeli occupation intensifies its criminal actions against the Palestinian people while claiming it is interested in the lull," al-Ghussein explained.

    14 Palestinians have been killed and dozens of rockets were fired into Israeli border town since Nov. 4. The violence flare-up shattered an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip after it held for five months.

    The ceasefire agreement requires Israel to stop its military operations in the strip and easing the blockade on the territory in exchange for halting the Palestinian rocket attacks.

    "The occupation plays down the lives of the Palestinian people by sealing off the crossing points, barring the basic needs and the fuel for the power station," al-Ghussein continued.