WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama pledged on Sunday that he will tackle hot issues in the Middle East as soon as he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.

    "What I am doing right now is putting together the team so that on January 20th, starting on day one, we have the best possible people who are going to be immediately engaged in the Middle East peace process as a whole," he said in an interview with ABC News.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. He makes a speech on the economy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, January 8, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The team would "be engaging with all of the actors there. That will work to create a strategic approach that ensures that both Israelis and Palestinians can meet their aspirations," Obama said of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflicts in the Gaza Strip.

    It was reported that nearly 900 Palestinians have been killed and some 3,500 others wounded in Israel's military strikes targeted at Hamas in the Gaza Strip since December 27, 2008.

    Obama repeated that he was "deeply concerned" about the situation in Gaza. But he said that it would be imprudent of him to send any signals that his incoming administration is running foreign policy.

Obama describes Iran as "one of biggest challenges"

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Sunday that Iran will be one of the biggest challenges that his administration is to face.

    "I think that Iran is going to be one of our biggest challenges," he said in an interview with ABC News. Full story

Obama says it's "a challenge" to close Guantanamo prison soon

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, who pledges to close Guantanamo Bay prison camp, said on Sunday that it is challenging to close the notorious overseas prison soon after he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.

    "I think it's going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do," Obama said in an interview with ABC News. Full story