国际英语新闻:Hamas rebuilds military capabilities: Israeli official

JERUSALEM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli diplomatic official said on Sunday that Hamas has started to rebuild its military capabilities, including rebuilding tunnels and rockets, local media reported.

Hamas has started to rebuild the underground tunnels used as a channel to smuggle weapons and possibly conduct attacks against Israel, after Israel destroyed over 30 such tunnels during its two- week ground incursion into the Gaza Strip in mid-July, the Ynet news website reported.

The official said Hamas continued to smuggle weapons through remaining tunnels near the southern Rafah crossing border along the Philadelphi Route, the Ha'aretz daily reported. The official added that Hamas also resumed the production of long-range rockets which are capable of reaching central Israel.

Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egypt-brokered unlimited truce on Aug. 26, ending an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that started on July 8 and claimed the lives of more than 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis. Both sides are expected to carry on negotiating a permanent truce in Cairo later this month. Israel's key demand is to have the Gaza Strip demilitarized and Hamas disarmed, which Hamas vehemently opposes.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he does not believe it is possible to reach a long-standing, permanent truce with Hamas, according to Ha'aretz.

Meanwhile, it published highlights from a classified document issued by the foreign ministry which suggested that an international force should be deployed in the Gaza Strip in order to prevent Hamas' weapons smuggling while overseeing border crossings.