VOA标准英语2008年-Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Takes Effect in Gaza

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
19 June 2008

An Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire has taken effect in the Gaza Strip. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.
　

Backdropped by the Gaza Strip, an Israeli tank drives on the Israel-Gaza border, 19 Jun 2008

After months of Palestinian rocket barrages¹ and Israeli army raids, the guns in and around the Gaza Strip have fallen silent. The ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic militant² group Hamas, that rules Gaza, is supposed to last for six months. If it holds, Israel will begin lifting its crippling blockade on Gaza, Sunday.

Both sides doubt that the truce³ can hold. Hamas refuses to recognize the Jewish state and is committed to armed resistance, so Israel fears the group will dig in for the next round of violence. Israeli spokesman Mark Regev.

"If we see Hamas using this period of quiet just to rearm and regroup, all bets are off," he said. "There will not be an understanding."

Israel has tightened⁴ sanctions on Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in a civil war with the rival and more moderate Fatah faction⁵, a year ago. Hamas ousted⁶ Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who now heads a moderate government in the West Bank.

"We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas," said Fatah spokesman Jamal Nazzal. "We are going to do everything we can to support it, in spite of all the doubt we have that Israel will commit itself to the ceasefire."

Regev, the Israeli spokesman, says the second phase of the truce will deal with captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas militants⁷ in a cross-border raid, two years ago.

"This process can only go so far, as long as Gilad Shalit is held hostage," he said. "He must be released."

But Israel has been reluctant to pay the price demanded by Hamas - the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including militants responsible for deadly suicide bombings.

1 barrages   

n.弹幕射击( barrage的名词复数 )；火力网；猛烈炮火；河上的堰坝v.火力攻击（或阻击）( barrage的第三人称单数 )；以密集火力攻击（或阻击）

参考例句：

• In many Basidiomycetes barrages develop. 在许多担子菌中也发生一些栅栏。 来自辞典例句
• It's fun to be able to run around and do instant Barrages. 一边瞬发奥术弹幕一边四处跑确实很有趣。 来自互联网

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

4 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

5 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

6 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

7 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。