Hamas says still committed to "calm"

Hamas remains committed to a de facto ceasefire with Israel despite an eruption of violence in the Gaza Strip over the past two days, a leader of the militant group said on Thursday.

"Hamas is still committed to calm and the issue is linked to Israeli attacks. If they are repeated, we will respond and if they stop, we will stop," Mahmoud a-Zahar told reporters, a day after a Hamas man was killed in an Israeli missile strike on a cell firing mortar bombs. A second Hamas militant was killed in disputed circumstances.