Egypt, UN talk with Hamas over developments in Gaza

By Mohammad Majid

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The leader of the Hamas resistance group, Ismail Haniyeh, spoke Thursday with Egypt and the UN special envoy about Israeli escalating attacks in the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.

Haniyeh "received a phone call from Egypt and another call from the UN Special Envoy to the Middle East Tor Wennesland over the political and field developments in Gaza, Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories," Hamas said in a statement.

The statement did not disclose additional details about talks with both parties.

Israel continues to target Gaza with heavy bombardment and has so far killed 103 Palestinians, including 27 children and 11 women, according to health officials. At least 580 others have been injured, in addition to heavy damage to residential buildings across the enclave. Four Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to Palestinian official sources.

Seven Israelis have been killed in recent violence -- six in rocket attacks in addition to a soldier killed when an anti-tank guided missile struck his jeep.

Tensions have been running high in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem in the past month as Israeli settlers swarmed in following a court order for the evictions of Palestinian families in the area.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara