Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts      

    CAIRO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement arrived in Egypt on Friday night for talks with Egyptian mediators on a ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

    The team, grouping three Hamas leaders, Ayman Taha, Jamal Abu Hashim and Salah el-Bardawil, crossed into Egypt via Rafah border crossing at the Egyptian-Gaza border, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported.

Smoke caused by Israeli military operations is seen over Gaza City, Jan. 9, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    According to earlier reports, two other Hamas leaders Mohamed Nasser and Imad el-Alami coming from Syria would also arrive in Cairo on Friday night to join the Gaza team for talks with Egyptian officials on Saturday.

    The Saturday talks will be the first meeting between Egyptian mediators and Hamas representatives from Gaza since the Palestinian enclave started being under intensive Israeli attacks on Dec. 27, 2008.

    On Tuesday, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman held talks with a Hamas delegation from Syria on means of halting the Israeli offensive on Gaza.

    The Israeli army has been carrying out continuous military air and ground operations for 14 days on Friday, during which 801 Palestinians have been reportedly killed and 3,300 others were injured.

An Israeli soldier covers his ears after firing a mortar mounted on an armoured personal carrier (APC) towards Gaza from its position outside the northern Gaza Strip January 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

　

Israel declares to continue Gaza operation despite UN cease-fire resolution 

    JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A day after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approved a resolution calling for cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, Israel declared on Friday in a defiant gesture that its defense forces IDF will continue its operation in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.

    After Arab and Western foreign ministers agreed on an amended version of a Britain-drafted resolution on Thursday, the UNSC adopted the Resolution 1860 calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza "leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces." It was approved by 14 votes in favor while the United States abstained.

Abbas arrives in Egypt for talks with Mubarak on Gaza crisis 

    CAIRO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived here on Friday night for talks on the current crisis of the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported.

    Abbas was expected to have talks with President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday morning on an Egyptian initiative on Gaza ceasefire and means of ending the Israeli attacks, which has killed 801 Palestinians and wounded 3,300 others.

UN relief agency decides to resume humanitarian aid activities in Gaza 

    GAZA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations for Relief and Work Agency in the Far East (UNRWA) decided Friday to resume providing humanitarian services to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after receiving guarantees from Israel that it won't be targeted.

    The UNRWA, which provides humanitarian aid to 80 percent of the strip population, said in a statement that the decision was made after Israel promised that its institutions, mainly schools and cars, won't be targeted.

Death toll rises to 801 as more people killed by fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza 

    GAZA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes and tanks shells continued on Gaza on Friday night, killing nine more people, which rose the death toll to 801 since the beginning of the Israeli military offensive on Dec. 27, a senior Gaza official said.

    Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein released the figures to reporters, saying that now 801 Palestinians were killed and 3300 were injured.