Damascus  - An Egyptian proposal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip would serve Israel rather than help Hamas, a statement by the Islamist Palestinian movement said Thursday.

"This initiative seeks limiting the Palestinian resistance while freeing the Israeli occupation and helping it achieve some of the goals it failed to achieve by its military attack," Hamas said.

"We also refuse to deploy international forces in the strip or international supervisors," the statement added.

Egypt hosted a Hamas delegation on Tuesday in an effort to ease the onslaught in Gaza, halt rocket fire and present the proposal that was initiated by President Hosny Mubarak.

The proposal calls for a cessation of violence, allowing aid to reach civilians, along with a call for the Israelis and Palestinians to take steps to make sure another conflict does not erupt, which could involve dispatching several forces to Gaza. It also includes an invitation to discuss ending Israel's blockade on Gaza.

The United States and Europe have backed the plan that Hamas and Israel both said they were studying. (dpa)