Israel bombarded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with nearly 200 airstrikes early today widening a blistering assault on Gaza rocket operations to include the prime minister’s headquarters, a police compound and a vast network of smuggling tunnels.

Egypt’s prime minister has rushed to the aid of the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers in the middle of an Israeli offensive as Palestinian rocket squads aimed at Tel Aviv for a second straight day.

Israeli forces pounded rocket-launching sites and smuggling tunnels in Gaza today and planes dropped leaflets warning of an escalation in attacks, as Palestinian militants fired at least 15 more rockets at Israel.

More than 250 children have been killed in the Gaza fighting, according to the latest UN figures.

Egypt's UN Ambassador tonight said representatives of Israel, the Palestinians and Hamas have agreed to meet tomorrow for talks brokered by Egypt.

International outrage grew over civilian deaths in Gaza tonight after an Israeli bombardment killed at least 34 people, many of them children, near a UN school.

Israel bowed to international pressure today to allow hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports to leave besieged Gaza.

Israel showed no sign of slowing a blistering seven-day offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza today.

Israel assassinated a Hamas strongman today by dropping a one-ton bomb on his house, also killing two of his wives and four of his children.

Palestinian militants sent a deadly barrage of missiles flying deep into Israel, demonstrating Hamas still had firepower three days into Israel’s punishing air offensive in Gaza.

Israel has called up thousands of reserve soldiers for a possible ground invasion as it widened its deadliest-ever air offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Thousands of Israelis today gathered for the funerals of the eight religious students killed by a Palestinian gunman in Jerusalem.

Fifty-four people, including two dozen civilians, were killed as clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants escalated today.

Eleven Palestinians, including five civilians, died late yesterday and early today in escalating Israeli-Palestinian fighting that renewed threats of an Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Israeli aircraft killed two Hamas militants in Gaza fighting early today, a day after Israel sealed the territory and bombed an empty Hamas government ministry in an intensifying campaign to halt rocket fire on Israeli border towns.

Israeli aircraft demolished two money exchange shops in Gaza used to channel funds to Hamas militants, the military said tonight.

Fatah and Hamas gunmen battled each other at universities, a radio station and in streets across the Gaza Strip today with 17 people – including four children - dying before the factions’ leaders announced a cease-fire agreement.

Hamas fighters attacked a pro-Fatah radio station in Gaza, ambulances were caught in the crossfire and gunmen exchanged machine gun fire in deserted streets as factional battles refused to let up today.

A new wave of factional fighting in the Gaza Strip today killed nine Palestinians, including a two-year-old boy, marring the first anniversary of Hamas’ upset victory in Palestinian elections.

Palestinian militants attacked the Gaza Strip’s main cargo crossing with mortar fire early today, slightly wounding an Israeli truck driver in the latest flare-up of violence in the coastal strip.

Fierce gun battles erupted in the streets of Gaza City early today between forces of the rival Hamas and Fatah movements, killing one Hamas militant and leaving a shaky truce in tatters.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas today defiantly insisted he will push ahead with his call for new elections, despite a wave of factional fighting that has left Gaza on the brink of chaos.

Palestinian gunmen waged a street battle outside the residence of President Mahmoud Abbas today, only hours after rival factions Fatah and Hamas reached a ceasefire in a bid to end days of bloody fighting.

The Palestinian prime minister said militants were prepared to stop barraging Israel with rockets if Israel would halt all military action in Palestinian territories.

HUNDREDS of Palestinians turned out yesterday to bury a 64-year-old grandmother who blew herself up near Israeli troops.

Hundreds of Palestinians turned out in Jebaliya today to bury a 64-year-old grandmother who blew herself up near Israeli troops.

Israeli troops killed a Hamas militant who was filming the group’s operations in northern Gaza this morning, Palestinian medical officials said.

A 64-year-old grandmother became the oldest Palestinian suicide bomber when she blew herself up near Israeli troops.

Palestinians set off an explosion near Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip today, the military said, adding that the blast might have been caused by a female suicide bomber.

Israeli ground troops, tanks and armoured vehicles advanced into two Gaza Strip towns today in pursuit of Palestinian rocket squads, even as the Red Cross - in a major blow to aid efforts – suspended activities in the impoverished territory after two of its workers were briefly kidnapped.

The Israeli military today launched a three-pronged offensive in the northern Gaza Strip, killing a top Hamas commander, in its latest operation against Palestinian rocket squads.

President Mahmoud Abbas’ bumpy efforts to set up a Palestinian government acceptable to the West suffered a new setback today, after the prime minister from the Islamic militant group Hamas said he would not lead a coalition that recognises Israel.

Israeli troops withdrew from northern Gaza early today after a bloody two-day sweep that killed 29 Palestinians, the deadliest concentration of violence since Israel’s incursion began over a month ago.

Israeli troops and tanks pulled out of northern Gaza early today after a bloody two-day sweep, killing 29 Palestinians, but Israeli aircraft pounded the area.

In a direct message to Hamas’ interior minister in Gaza, Israeli jet fighters destroyed his office early today, intensifying an air invasion while delaying a broad ground offensive to give Arab mediators a last chance to gain the release of a kidnapped soldier.

Israeli forces rounded up dozens of Palestinian Cabinet ministers and MPs from Hamas today, increasing pressure on the Islamic militants to release a captured Israeli soldier.

An Israeli air strike today against a car carrying militants in Gaza City killed nine Palestinians including two schoolchildren.

A failed Israeli airstrike today against a militants' car in Gaza City killed nine Palestinians including two children, Palestinian hospital officials said.

A large explosion ripped through a house in a northern Gaza town today, killing one man and wounding two other people, hospital officials said.

A loud explosion rocked the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza on today, witnesses and security officials said.

An explosion destroyed a building inside a Palestinian national security compound in the northern Gaza Strip today, killing two police officers and wounding six others, Palestinian security officials said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh today said the Hamas-led government will not cave in to financial pressure from the West.

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.

An Israeli aircraft launched two missiles at a group of Palestinian militants gathered in the northern Gaza Strip today, wounding three of them, Palestinian security and health officials said.