Israel rejects Palestinian call for truce
The Hamas-led Palestinian government called for a cease-fire Saturday in its violent two-week standoff with Israel, but Israel rejected the offer because it did not call for releasing a soldier held by Hamas militants. Officials in Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s office said he would not agree to a truce until Hamas freed Cpl. Gilad Shalit, whose capture two weeks ago provoked Israel to invade the Gaza Strip and bombard it with artillery barrages and airstrikes. Full Story