Middle East

Israel approves unilateral ceasefire in Gaza Strip

Tel Aviv  - Israel's cabinet approved Saturday night a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported.

Two ministers voted against the proposal and one abstained. (dpa)

Jordan's king to attend Sharm el-Sheikh summit Sunday

Jordan's king to attend Sharm el-Sheikh summit Sunday Amman - King Abdullah II of Jordan will take part in the international summit due to be held at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, the royal court announced Saturday.

The conference was called by the Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak "to discuss the efforts aimed at halting the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, lifting the siege and implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 1860", a royal court statement said.

Egypt to host Mideast peace summit on Sunday

Egypt to host Mideast peace summit on Sunday Berlin  - A German government spokesman Saturday confirmed that Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend a summit with other world leaders in Egypt to seek a way to end the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Other attendees to the summit set for Sunday will include the host, Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The summit will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh. Merkel is scheduled to travel on to Israel Sunday afternoon after the summit.

Mubarak rejects foreign observers, calls for ceasefire

Mubarak rejects foreign observers, calls for ceasefireCairo - Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak on Saturday rejected proposals to base on its territory foreign observers to monitor the Gaza Strip, but said his country itslef would instead secure its border with the salient.

"Egypt is exerting all efforts to secure its borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip. It will never accept the presence of foreign observers on its territory. This is a red line we will not allow to be crossed," Mubarak said.

At least three killed in shelling near UN school

Gaza - At least three people, a woman and two children, were killed Saturday when an Israeli artillery shell landed near a United Nations school in the northern Gaza Strip, medics and witnesses sai

Israel's security cabinet expected to vote on ceasefire

Israel's security cabinet expected to vote on ceasefire Tel Aviv - The Israeli security cabinet was expected to vote Saturday night on a ceasefire proposal, as the military campaign entered its fourth week and airstrikes continued overnight across the Gaza Strip.

The warplanes hit about 50 targets during the night, including rocket launching sites, tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border as well as mosques used as points from where militants fired at Israel, a military spokesman said.

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