JERUSALEM, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says a "full scale war" is raging in Gaza against Palestinian insurgents.
Olmert told his weekly cabinet meeting Sunday the Israeli army would not let up the fight against Palestinian insurgents, but will take "great care not to bring about a humanitarian crisis that would impact innocent civilians," Ynetnews.com reported.
Olmert dismissed earlier talk of a cease fire and said "the events transpiring in southern Israel can only be described as full scale war between the IDF and Palestinian terror groups," Ynetnews.com said.
Olmert said there would be no negotiations with Hamas, Islamic Jihad or any other militant groups that refuse to accept the tenants agreed to by peace negotiators for Israel and the official Palestinian government.
"Israel will not negotiate with those (Palestinian groups) that do not except the basic Quartet tenets, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad," Olmert said, adding, "this governmental policy will not change."
