Bush blames Hamas, backs Israeli offensive in Gaza

Washington: US President George W Bush on Monday ruled out any ceasefire in Gaza, saying that such an agreement did not ensure that Hamas would not resume its attack against Israel in future.

“All of us, of course, would like to see, you know, violence stop, but not at the expense of an agreement that does not prevent the crisis from happening again,” Bush told reporters.

“I know people are saying, ‘Let's have a cease-fire’, and those are noble ambitions. But any cease-fire must have the conditions in it so that Hamas does not use Gaza as a place from which to launch rockets,” Bush said in a media availability following a meeting with the Sudanese Vice President.

Accusing Hamas of launching rocket attacks against Israel, Bush said, “I understand Israel's desire to protect itself and that the situation now taking place in Gaza was caused by Hamas. Instead of caring about the people of Gaza, Hamas decided to use the land to launch rockets to kill innocent Israelis."

“And Israel has obviously decided to protect herself and her people,” he said. Observing that there were many hopeful signs in the Middle East, Bush said, “But the Hamas reminds us that there are people who are willing to kill innocent people to stop the advance of free societies.”

However, Bush, who has been monitoring the situation in Gaza and has been in touch with the leaders in the region, expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis there.

"We care about the people of Gaza and therefore, have provided millions of dollars of fresh aid to the United Nations to help," he said.

Bush hoped that someday there will be a Palestinian State living side by side with Israel in peace. "I believe the Palestinian Authority --under President Abbas- has got the capacity and the foresight and the vision necessary to see that become a reality," he felt.

“In the meantime, all of us are going to have to deal with Hamas, those who threaten peace, those who want to deny the existence of a peaceful Palestinian state,” Bush said.

At least 537 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in Gaza on December 27. More than 2,500 have been wounded.