Israeli troops killed two Palestinian gunmen in an exchange of fire in the West Bank early today, hospital officials and members of a local militia said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a fast food restaurant in a bustling commercial area of Tel Aviv during the Jewish holiday of Passover today, killing himself and eight people and wounding 49 in the deadliest Palestinian attack in more than a year.

Palestinian gunmen briefly took over the Cabinet building in Ramallah today, protesting against the refusal of the new Hamas government to meet their demands for perks and promotions.

A group of Palestinian gunmen took over the Cabinet building in the West Bank city of Ramallah in protest against the Hamas government, a member of the group said.

An offshoot of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party has carried out its first suicide bombing against Israel since a February 2005 truce.

Israel’s acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said today that Israel will give up territory and relinquish control over most of the West Bank’s Palestinians, while holding on to main settlement blocs.

Masked gunmen today briefly took over a European Union office to protest at a Danish newspaper's publication of cartoons deemed insulting to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, the latest in a wave of violent denunciations of the caricatures across the Islamic world.

Palestinian militants, angry at the jailing of their leader by the Palestinian police, today stole two bulldozers and rammed through a wall near the border with Egypt, hours after they blocked the official border crossing and took over government buildings.

Dozens of Palestinian gunmen firing in the air blocked access to the Gaza-Egypt border and took over four government buildings for several hours today.

Israel fired shells and missiles at the Gaza Strip today, hitting two offices of the militant Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.

An Israeli airstrike today killed two Palestinian militants in the northern Gaza Strip and a Palestinian man fatally stabbed an Israeli soldier in the West Bank, intensifying a new round of violence in the wake of a suicide bombing at an Israeli shopping centre this week.

Defying a Palestinian Authority ban on public displays of weapons, about 1,000 militants brandishing assault rifles and rocket launchers marched through Gaza City today and vowed to hold on to their arms.

Hamas said today that the Islamic militant group would not renew an informal nine-month-old truce, which expires at the end of the year, after Israel killed one of its leading activists in an airstrike in Gaza.

Hamas, the largest Palestinian militant group said today it would not go back to all-out war against Israel, even after Israeli missiles killed one of its top gunmen.

An Israeli airstrike on a car killed two Palestinians in the Jebaliya refugee camp today, including a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.

Israeli aircraft early today bombarded open areas and roads in northern Gaza that the military said Palestinian militants used to launch rocket attacks on nearby southern Israel.

Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a white Subaru travelling in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun today, killing a Palestinian militant, witnesses and hospital officials said.

Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a white Subaru travelling in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun today, killing a Palestinian militant, witnesses and hospital officials said.

Two Palestinian militants were killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers early today.

Palestinian gunmen ambushed an Israeli vehicle travelling on the main road connecting the Gaza Strip settlements to Israel today, killing a husband and wife and wounding four other Israelis, rescue workers and the army said.

Israeli police today surrounded an encampment of opponents to the Gaza withdrawal, pushing back a surging crowd marching against the plans to demolish Jewish settlements.

ISRAELI soldiers raided the home of a British citizen early yesterday as she and a group of Palestinians were socialising over music and coffee, and killed a wanted militant when he fled.

Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian militant early today while he was with a British woman in the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and the army said.

Palestinian militants today killed an Israeli hitchhiker, the third Israeli to be killed in the past five days in a flare-up of violence that threatens a truce reached in February.

ARMED Palestinian militants shut down a government building in the West Bank yesterday.

LEADING militant groups in Palestinian territories vowed yesterday to defy President Mahmoud Abbas’s bid to disarm hundreds of gunmen wanted by Israel.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered a crackdown on Ramallah militants today after a group of gunmen fired at his compound while he was inside, security officials said.

An official from the Damascus-based leadership of the militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility today for the Tel Aviv nightclub suicide bombing that killed four Israelis.

Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah today denied it was behind the suicide bombing that killed four people in a Tel Aviv night club.

THE Israeli military is willing to suspend operations against Palestinian militants if they call off attacks, Israeli leaders said yesterday, signalling a shift in position that could help pave the way toward a ceasefire after more than four years of fighting.

An armed group linked to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah party today announced it would be willing to accept a ceasefire if Israel also agrees to stop its attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cut all contact with the newly elected Palestinian leader today, promising the silence would continue until Mahmoud Abbas moves to halt militant attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered all contact cut with newly elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas until Abbas reins in the militants, Israeli media reported tonight.

Israel signalled today it will delay retaliating for a Gaza crossing ambush that killed six Israeli workers and give Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas a chance to rein in violent groups.

Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a group of Israelis soldiers in the West Bank yesterday, killing one and wounding three, just a day after militant leaders in the area told Palestinian presidential candidate Mahmoud Abbas they were ready to abide by a cease-fire.

A female Palestinian suicide bomber killed two Israelis and wounded at least 16 others today when she blew herself up at a crowded crossroads in Jerusalem.

A female Palestinian suicide bomber blew herself up near a crowded bus stop in Jerusalem today, killing one person and wounding at least 14 others.

Six Palestinian gunmen and an 11-year-old girl were killed during a fierce firefight with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Nablus today.

A Palestinian suicide bomber riding a bike attacked an army patrol near a West Bank checkpoint today, wounding at least two people, the Israeli army said.

An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a car in the West Bank town of Jenin today, killing three people, including a militant leader, Palestinian security officials said.

Three missionaries, including an Irishman, were freed by Palestinian gunmen early today after being kidnapped in the West Bank and taken to a refugee camp.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered construction of the West Bank separation barrier to continue, linking the world court’s condemnation of it to a deadly bombing in Tel Aviv.

Israel is holding two teenage Palestinian girls it claims were preparing to become suicide bombers.

MARWAN BARGHOUTI, the Palestinian uprising leader seen as a successor to Yasser Arafat, faces life in an Israeli prison after being convicted yesterday of ordering shootings that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk.