PM Netanyahu says rocket fire has to stop before there's a ceasefire agreement

            Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says Israel is prepared to widen its military operation in the Gaza Strip. During a photo opportunity at the open of the weekly cabinet meeting, the prime minister said: "We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organizations, and the Israel Defense Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation." Netanyahu did not give specifics and made no mention of the possibility of a ground offensive.Prime Minsiter Benyamin Netanyahu said that the rocket fire from Gaza has to stop before Israel is willing to discuss the rest. The prime minister met withh visiting French foreign minister Lucien Fabius. He said Israel is under rocket attack which cannot continue and expressed his appeciation to France for its support. The AFP news agency quotes an anonymous Palestinian official as saying that what he termed "serious talks" on the possibility of a truce to end the five days of violence are under way, and that a deal could be reached today or tomorrow. Senior Israeli officials said that the plans for a ground operation are continuing. They confirmed that an Israeli official is in Egypt holding talks with security officials there. The identity of the Israeli official was not revealed. Difficulties are reported in the contacts between Egypt and Hamas in light of the fact that several Islamic factions have rejected Israel's conditions for a cease fire.