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Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said on Thursday he would bombard Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with demands at a forthcoming Middle East summit as Israel seeks to bolster the Palestinian leader in his efforts to rein in Islamist militants.
Israel battered the Gaza Strip with fresh air strikes on Tuesday as troops stood poised to launch more incursions in a deadly offensive that has killed more than 50 Palestinians in a week. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert defended the operation, aimed at securing the release of an abducted teenage soldier and halting rocket attacks.
The BBC said on Thursday it has been assured by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that its Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston, kidnapped a month ago, is "safe and well", and again appealed for his release. There has been no word on the fate of Johnston (44) since he was forced from his car at gunpoint exactly one month ago.
Five Palestinians were killed on Friday as Israel pressed on with its bloody offensive in Gaza, a day after reoccupying land in the deadliest 24 hours in the Palestinian territories for four years. Twenty-seven Palestinians and one Israeli soldier have been killed since the offensive began late on Wednesday.
Gaza's third international marathon has been cancelled after the ruling Hamas movement refused to allow women to run.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said on Thursday he would bombard Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with demands at a forthcoming Middle East summit as Israel seeks to bolster the Palestinian leader in his efforts to rein in Islamist militants.
Israel battered the Gaza Strip with fresh air strikes on Tuesday as troops stood poised to launch more incursions in a deadly offensive that has killed more than 50 Palestinians in a week. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert defended the operation, aimed at securing the release of an abducted teenage soldier and halting rocket attacks.
The BBC said on Thursday it has been assured by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that its Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston, kidnapped a month ago, is "safe and well", and again appealed for his release. There has been no word on the fate of Johnston (44) since he was forced from his car at gunpoint exactly one month ago.
