Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not be forced to make concessions to Hamas over Gaza. He was speaking as peace talks reconvened in Cairo on Sunday.<br /><br />Ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, he warned that any deal must put Israel’s security needs first.<br /><br />“If Hamas thinks its defeat on the battlefield will be papered over by a victory at the negotiating table it is mistaken. If Hamas thinks that by continuing the sporadic shootings [of rockets at Israel] it will make us agree to concessions it is mistaken. While there’s no silence [peace] in Israel, Hamas will continue to suffer hard hits,” Netanyahu said.<br /><br />On Saturday Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan said: “Israel must accept the demands of the Palestinian people or face a long war.”<br /><br />Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday calling for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.<br /><br />Protesters chanted slogans such as ‘Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies’ and demanded an end to Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip.<br /><br />Five weeks of hostilities have seen more than 2,000 people – mostly civilians – killed.<br /><br />A five-day cease-fire runs out on Monday.
