Warplanes pressing one of Israel’s deadliest assaults ever on Palestinian militants dropped bombs and missiles on a top security installation, a mosque, a TV station and dozens of other targets across the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip today.

Palestinian police sealed off large parts of the West Bank city of Ramallah today, in an unprecedented operation to secure George Bush’s first visit as US president to the volatile Palestinian territories.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced today that he would call new presidential and parliament elections at the earliest possible date, in a bold challenge to ruling Hamas militants that risked sparking a full-scale civil war.

Israeli aircraft struck three times in southern Gaza, killing five militants, after a day of internal Palestinian unrest with public service workers and security forces clamouring to be paid.

A Palestinian was killed when an Israeli tank shell hit his truck early today, and Israeli aircraft struck targets in several parts of Gaza.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians, some firing weapons in the air, flocked to a Gaza Strip stadium today to bury the highest-profile militant commander that Israel has killed in four years.

Three thousand gunmen loyal to the radical Hamas government deployed across the Gaza Strip today in the Islamic group’s most brazen challenge yet to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Three thousand gunmen loyal to the radical Hamas government deployed across the Gaza Strip today, violently breaking up a peaceful teachers’ protest in a southern town, in the Islamic group’s most brazen challenge yet to moderate President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas yesterday edged toward recognition of Israel, a key international demand, in an agreement worked out by Hamas and Fatah leaders in an Israeli prison, mentioning a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza while refusing to renounce violence.

ACTING prime minister Ehud Olmert expects to draw Israel’s permanent borders by 2010 and, as part of that effort, will build a controversial settlement outside Jerusalem.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas today asked Hamas to form the next Palestinian government, but demanded that the Islamic militants recognise existing peace deals and back his moderate policies, including negotiations with Israel.

The Islamic militant Hamas won a landslide victory in Palestinian parliament elections, winning 76 seats in the 132-member parliament, election officials announced today.

The top Hamas leader today told Mahmoud Abbas that the Islamic militant group was ready for a political partnership after trouncing the Palestinian leader’s Fatah Party in legislative elections – a shocking upset sure to throw Middle East peacemaking into turmoil.

A senior Hamas official today said recognising Israel and negotiations with the Jewish state were “not on our agenda” after the group apparently won a decisive victory in legislative elections.

PALESTINIAN gunmen linked to the ruling Fatah movement killed one of their party leaders yesterday, increasing tensions on the eve of parliamentary balloting and raising doubts about a new pledge by armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza to hold their fire during the vote.

PALESTINIANS yesterday followed reports on Ariel Sharon’s condition with a mix of apprehension and glee, while some officials said they feared the dramatic events would derail January 25 parliament elections in the West Bank and Gaza.

HAMAS said yesterday that the Islamic militant group would not renew an informal nine-month-old truce after Israel killed one of its leading activists in an airstrike.

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.

Palestinian authorities today began enforcing a ban on public displays of weapons, arresting three people and confiscating the guns of off-duty police officers, in a key step toward imposing order in the chaotic Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military has arrested dozens of Hamas candidates for parliament and local councils as part of its new offensive against the Islamic militant group.

Israel today arrested 82 alleged Palestinian militants in the West Bank, bringing the three-day total to nearly 400 in the largest arrest sweep in recent months.

THE militant group Hamas yesterday agreed to co-operate with the Palestinian Authority in ensuring a smooth transition during the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

AN Israeli aircraft yesterday fired at a group of Hamas militants who were about to shoot mortar shells at a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, a move which threatened a fragile ceasefire declared in February.

An Israeli aircraft today fired at a group of Hamas militants who were launching mortar shells at a Jewish settlement in the first such airstrike since a ceasefire was declared in February.

Israel freed 500 Palestinian prisoners in a goodwill gesture today.

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.

Islamic militant group Hamas joined in the mood of optimism in Gaza today and signalled it would suspend rocket attacks on Israel.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas summoned militant leaders to ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip today, with his political survival depending on agreement by the armed groups to halt attacks against Israel.

In a first step against militants, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered his security forces today to try to prevent attacks against Israel and to investigate a shooting at a Gaza Strip crossing that killed six Israeli civilians last week.

FOUR Palestinian militants and an Israeli soldier were killed yesterday in the heaviest Gaza fighting since Yasser Arafat’s death, raising the prospect that renewed violence could complicate a vote for his successor.

Defiant Palestinian militants pounded Jewish settlements in the southern Gaza Strip with mortar fire today, following the killing of a top Hamas militant in an air strike.

HAMAS threatened revenge yesterday after an Israeli helicopter blew up a car on a busy Gaza City street, killing a Hamas militant who was involved in making and firing rockets at Israeli towns.

Israeli helicopters attacked a Hamas training field in Gaza City, killing at least 13 militants and wounding 25 other Palestinians, witnesses said, in the bloodiest incident there in four months.