Israeli operations continue along Gaza-Egypt border

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has indicated he might dismiss the Hamas-led Cabinet as a step toward relief from crippling Western aid sanctions, as the European Union contributed some money to pay civilian workers.

Addressing diplomats in the West Bank city of Ramallah at a feast marking the day’s end of the Ramadan fast yesterday evening, Abbas said: “We are going to make the decisions about forming a Cabinet that abides by Palestinian and Arab and international legality to lift the siege from our people and mitigate its suffering.”

It was Abbas’ clearest indication that he might dismiss the current Cabinet. Abbas has been promoting the idea of a Cabinet of technocrats instead.

In the southern Gaza Strip, Israel’s military operation along the Gaza border with Egypt continued today.

The army said it was aimed at uncovering tunnels used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons into Gaza, and that troops had found 15 tunnels since Tuesday.

Palestinians in the northern part of the coastal strip fired four home-made rockets into Israel today, but caused no casualties or property damage, the Israeli military said.