Hamas holds contacts with Jihad to avoid more tension

Hamas' prime minister in Gaza said Monday they had held contacts with Islamic Jihad leaders to avoid more friction. Ismail Haneya, premier of Hamas government that rules the Gaza Strip, told reporters that his movement had intensified contacts with Jihad, a militant of which was murdered on Saturday by a Hamas militant in eastern Gaza. After the incident, Jihad disconnected its ties with Hamas and said it would not committed to any ceasefire reached with Israel. Late on Sunday, Jihad militants fired 10 rockets from Gaza toward southern Israel. Israeli war jets then struck back at various militants' posts in the coastal enclave. In a press statement, Jihad said Hamas was fully responsible for the killing of the militant who was in charge of Jihad's rocket unit and "was wanted by the Israeli occupation."