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A senior Israeli general says Israel does not want a temporary cease-fire with Palestinian militants, because that would only give them time to re-group and re-arm for future attacks.

General Amos Gilad, who is leading security talks with Palestinians, says Israel is willing to give the Palestinian Authority three or four weeks to work out a better deal with militants, but only if the result is a complete end to terror.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has been trying to convince Hamas and other groups to declare a cease-fire in attacks against Israelis.

Mr. Abbas wants the truce before the Palestinian Authority takes responsibility for security in the Gaza Strip. Israel is prepared to withdraw troops from Gaza, but only if Palestinians can guarantee security.

General Gilad is expected to hold more talks today with top Palestinian security officials to discuss the issue. For the past several days the two sides have been reported to be near agreement to transfer security control.

Recent attacks have raised doubts about whether a pullback can be arranged. Palestinian officials blame Israel for the death of four members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades overnight in Gaza, saying they were killed by an Israeli tank shell.

Israel denies any tanks were in the area, and says the militants may have been killed, when explosives they were preparing for an attack went off prematurely.

In other action overnight, Israeli forces entered the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, and destroyed two homes they said militants used to launch attacks against Israelis.

The latest violence came one day after Israeli forces killed a top Hamas official, prompting a vow of revenge by the militant Islamic group.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday the killing was regrettable, and could set back the Middle East peace process.

Mr. Powell spoke in Jordan Sunday, where he met with representatives of the European Union, Russia and the United Nations to discuss the peace process. The parties make up the so-called quartet who drafted the "road map" to peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters, AFP and AP.