Hamas said on Saturday that Gaza militants had agreed to halt their rocket fire at Israel if Israel in turn stops launching strikes against targets in the coastal territory.

Hamas spokesman Ismail Rudwan said after a meeting with faction heads over a surge in cross-border tensions with Israel, that militants were "committed as long as the occupation [Israel] was committed" to restore a de-facto ceasefire.

Open gallery view Grad rocket strikes Be'er Sheva, March 23, 2011 Credit: Eliyahu Herskovitz

Israel's Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Tal Russo earlier on Saturday assessed that Gaza is in a state of anarchy, saying that neither Hamas nor other militant groups have control over the area, explaining the reason for the recent barrage of rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip.

Asked if the IDF would launch a large 'Operation Cast Lead 2' type of military operation in Gaza as a response, Russo said that it is not dependent upon Israel but upon the other side. "We are trying to afford citizens of the south normal lives, and these aren't exactly normal lives," he said. "We will bring these citizens peace and quiet. That is our aim."

Russo added, "The situation has eroded since Cast Lead. The other side is starting to get forgetful. I hope that they get a hold of themselves."

On Saturday evening, a Qassam rocket fell in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council in the western Negev.

Overnight Friday, a Qassam rocket landed outside a family home in that same community, causing heavy damage, but no causalities. A second rocket fell overnight in an open field nearby, causing no damage to people or property.

The rocket attacks came hours after Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz announced the activation of the Iron Dome defense system in the south of the country. Barak said he approved the deployment of the system as an operational experiment and the IDF has said it will be operational in a few days.

Southern Israel has suffered several rocket and mortar attacks over the last week, and the Israel Defense Forces launched several strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas' intensification of rocket fire at Israel earlier this month is a move analysts link to efforts of political rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to heal a four-year rift with the group, which some in Hamas may perceive as a threat.

Abbas held a round of reconciliation talks with Hamas lawmakers on Saturday in the West Bank. He urged the group to resume its calmer stance towards Israel and avoid rocket attacks, the Palestinian news agency, Wafa reported.