Special report: Crisis between Israel and Palestine

    HELSINKI, July 3 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Finnish President Tarja Halonen on Monday urgedI srael and Palestine to end the violent situation in Gaza.

    Barroso, visiting Finland on the first working week of its EU presidency, met President Halonen on Monday. At a press conference after the meeting, Barroso urged Israel and the Palestinians to show restraint and stop the violence.

    President Halonen said the EU and Finland would press home the peace message to Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, during his visit to Finland on Tuesday.

    Meanwhile, Israeli troops continued a broad ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Monday, their first major operation there since Israeli forces and settlers withdrew from the area last summer following 38 years of occupation. The offensive was aimed at bringing about the release of the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Palestinian militants a week ago.

    The militants who took the 19-year-old soldier have set Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to meet their demands to free Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

    Israel has so far rejected a prisoner swap, saying it will not negotiate with the militants. Enditem