A group representing Israeli victims of Palestinian violence is mounting a court challenge against the planned release on Friday of 256 prisoners.

Israel announced today it will allow food and other basic supplies into the Gaza Strip to prevent a looming humanitarian disaster.

Israeli aircraft struck four times in Gaza early today, the army said, killing one Hamas militant.

Gunmen stormed a Guatemalan prison and gunned down four jailed police officers in a mafia hit, the country’s leader said.

Israel today promised a punishing response to the first deadly Palestinian rocket attack on the Israeli town of Sderot since the Gaza Strip evacuation last year, even as Palestinian leaders and international envoys pursued diplomatic efforts to spur deadlocked peacemaking.

In a bold political gamble, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided to leave his Likud Party, form a new political movement and push for quick elections.

A JEWISH extremist opened fire inside a bus yesterday, killing four Israeli Arabs before being slain by an angry crowd, police said.

Israeli police today put forces on one of the highest alert levels as a stand-off developed between thousands of security forces and Gaza withdrawal opponents determined to march to the coastal area despite a ban.

Israeli security forces clashed early today with Jewish settlers trying to break a blockade placed on Gaza Strip settlements, a preview to confrontations expected later in the day when opponents to a planned withdrawal from Gaza try to march to the coastal area despite a police ban.

The Israeli military today isolated the Gaza Strip, declaring it a “closed military zone” to prevent Jewish extremists from going in after a series of violent incidents.

ISRAEL said yesterday it had resumed an assassination policy against some Palestinian militants and could mount air strikes to ensure its Gaza pull-out does not come under fire.

An Israeli Arab member of parliament today claimed that Israeli soldiers desecrated the Koran, the Islamic holy book, while searching Palestinian security prisoners.

Israel’s parliament removed the last legislative obstacle before implementation of this summer’s pullout from Gaza and part of the West Bank, easily passing the state budget and saving Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government from collapse.

ISRAEL declared its hospitals off-limits yesterday to the 2,800 Palestinians on hunger strike in Israeli prisons, saying they could be treated in makeshift facilities behind bars if taken ill.

TENS of thousands of Israelis were forming a human chain yesterday in a mass show of strength against government plans to pull all Jewish settlers and troops out of the Gaza Strip.

Israel's use of American-made warplanes in the Middle East conflict has brought new charges from Palestinians that the US Government is leaning heavily in Israel's favour.