Egyptian troops have opened fire on supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi as they marched on a Republican Guard facility.

Israel expanded its fierce air assault on rocket operations in the Gaza Strip today, striking Hamas government and security compounds, smuggling tunnels and electricity sources after an unprecedented rocket attack aimed at the holy city of Jerusalem raised the stakes in its violent confrontation with Palestinian militants.

Egyptian troops and security forces have detained nine Islamic militants in northern Sinai believed to be behind a surprise attack last weekend that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers, a security official said.

Gunmen have attacked Egypt’s gas pipeline to Israel in the northern Sinai Peninsula, security officials said.

Masked gunmen blew up a terminal of the Egyptian natural gas pipeline to Israel and Jordan in a pre-dawn attack today, security officials said.

Masked assailants blew up the Egyptian pipeline that carries gas to Israel and Jordan today, starting a fire that burned for hours and disrupting the flow of gas, security officials said.

An explosion rocked a natural gas terminal near Egypt’s border with Israel early today, sending flames shooting into the air and forcing the shutdown of the country’s export pipeline.

An explosion has gone off at a gas compressor station in Egypt’s northern Sinai Peninsula, triggering a huge fire along the gas pipeline, Egyptian media and witnesses said.

A SHIP sent by a Libyan charity to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip changed course in the Mediterranean Sea yesterday and instead appeared headed for an Egyptian port, signaling that it would avoid a showdown with the Israeli navy.

A group of several hundred international activists from an aid convoy to the blockaded Gaza Strip were allowed to leave Egypt today, despite earlier threats to have some arrested because they scuffled with police, an airport official said.

Egypt began taking in wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip today.

EGYPT was trying to persuade Hamas yesterday to accept a truce that would halt rocket attacks on Israel in an effort to put an end to Gaza violence and salvage Middle East peace talks.

Militant Palestinian group Hamas was today being urged to agree a ceasefire in its rocket attacks on Israel to help salvage Middle East peace talks.

Egyptian troops and Hamas police shot at each other across the volatile Gaza-Egypt border today, killing a Palestinian man and wounding at least 44 Gazans and Egyptians.

About 200 Palestinians stranded for months on the Egyptian border have crossed back to their homes in the Gaza Strip and more are expected to follow, Israel said today.

MORE than a thousand Palestinian pilgrims set fire yesterday to temporary camps set up by the Egyptian government to house them until a dispute over how they will return to the Gaza Strip is resolved.

More than 100 Palestinians began crossing into Israel en route to the Gaza Strip today, almost two months after Hamas’ takeover of the seaside region triggered the closure of the border with Egypt.

An Islamic militant suspected of helping plot a string of bomb attacks against Sinai tourist resorts turned himself in to police today.

Police in Egypt today killed the leader of an al-Qaida-inspired militant group who was wanted for last month’s Sinai bombings that killed 21 people.

Riot police fought with voters, firing tear gas and bullets that killed one person, as the state barred polling stations in opposition strongholds in the third and final round of Egypt's legislative elections.

Riot police clashed with would-be voters and blocked off polling stations to prevent people from casting ballots in several Muslim Brotherhood and opposition strongholds today, as Egypt entered the final round of legislative elections marred by violence and allegations of rigging.

The massive hunt for suspected militants linked to several recent Sinai Peninsula resort bombings claimed the lives of two senior Egyptian police officers today when land mines, possibly planted by terrorists, exploded.

Police are searching for more than a dozen Egyptians and local tribesmen believed to have played a direct role in the weekend terror attacks in Sharm el Sheikh, senior security officials said today.

An Egyptian has been identified as a possible suicide bomber in the Sharm el Sheikh terror attacks in the first breakthrough in the investigation.

Yasser Arafat’s funeral service began with humble prayers today and ended with an almost triumphant procession, his wooden coffin set on a gun carriage and draped in the Palestinian flag, preceded by a military band in scarlet and followed by a crowd of presidents and kings.

Intense emotions of both sorrow and defiance continue across the Middle East today, the day Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is honoured by international dignitaries with a military funeral in Egypt.