Palestinian Territory Occupied

Israeli soldiers shot and killed six Palestinians in two separate incidents on Saturday in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Close to 20 South Africans will be descending on Gaza for a freedom march, despite the Egyptian government’s plan to close the Rafah crossing.

Hamas blamed Israel on Tuesday for stalling efforts to swap hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for a captured soldier.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah will endorse a two-state solution but keep the option of ”armed struggle” with Israel.

Rival Palestinian factions have so far failed to overcome obstacles in reconciliation talks which they hope will lead to a unified governing body.

Israel launched a series of air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, targeting a Hamas security complex and tunnels used to smuggle weapons.

Voicing shock and anger at the ”heartbreaking” devastation, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday to pledge aid.

Israeli forces were pulling out of the Gaza Strip on Monday following a tentative truce with Hamas that allowed Palestinians to take stock of the war.

Israel worked to secure guarantees on Friday that arms smuggling to Hamas militants would end under any deal to call off its three-week-old offensive.

Israel struck fresh targets on Thursday and waged street battles in Gaza as the international community stepped up efforts to broker a truce.

Israeli troops edged closer to the heart of Gaza City on Wednesday morning and international organisations expressed growing concern.

Israeli leaders trying to find a knockout blow for Hamas militants defying a 17-day-old assault on Gaza have thrown army reservists into battle.

Israel and Hamas vowed to keep fighting on Sunday, ignoring international calls to stop the Gaza conflict which entered a 16th day.

In the houses at the edge of Zeitoun, dozens of Palestinian families woke to discover that Israel’s invasion had brought troops and tanks.

The United Nations’ most senior human rights official said on Friday night that the Israeli military may have committed war crimes in Gaza.