That's why, as the six-month cease-fire with Israel came to an end, Hamas calculated -- it seems correctly -- that it had nothing to gain by continuing the truce; if it had, its credentials as a resistance movement would have been no different from those of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah.
Although talks continue, the temporary truce brokered during the last national strike in 2007 will have shattered and both sides expect escalating strikes during the sensitive period running up to Christmas.
Then we continue the journey in "The Truce," as Levi finds his long, Odyssean way home.
A spokesman for Israel's Defense Ministry, Shlomo Dror, also said that Israel was ready to continue with the truce, "but not like it is today".
Each killing of a settler makes it harder for Sharon to continue with the truce.
Fighting continued until the truce came into effect at 10 00 local time (07:00 GMT).
While accusing Abbas of violating the cease-fire agreement, Abu Zuhri indicated that Hamas would continue to honor the truce.
Pro-Pakistan guerrilla groups said they would continue to ignore the truce.See article: India extends its Kashmir truceElfin charmsThe trial began in Paris of Roland Dumas, a former foreign minister, and his ex-mistress, Christine Deviers-Joncour, and others, on charges of corruption.
Colombia needs help sustaining its non-drug exports, like coffee, if it is to continue resisting truce offers from the Medellin cartel.
All the Palestinian factions are continuing to observe the truce," a Hamas source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Syria Direct's newsroom in Amman, Jordan had been tracking shelling in several Syrian provinces, and had heard reports of continuing violence after the truce was scheduled to begin.
