Hundreds have been killed in clashes between Somalia's Islamic militia and the country's secular government while the United Nations issued a call for peace during a lull in fighting.

Islamic leaders today ordered Somalis to hand in their weapons, but did not say how they would enforce the directive in a heavily armed country some fear is about to go to war with its neighbour.

ISRAEL arrested more than 130 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron yesterday, targeting Hamas as the Palestinian government awaited word on whether the Islamic militant group would agree to a ceasefire.

Hundreds of Israeli police have entered the mosque compound that is Jerusalem's most contested religious site and fired stun grenades at Muslims who were throwing stones at Jews worshipping nearby.