Israel Kills Dozens of Hamas Fighters; UN Will Meet

(NEWSER) - Israel continues to press its assault and Hamas continues to fire its rockets, but a sliver of hope emerged tonight toward an end to the Gaza hostilities, MSNBC reports. Representatives from Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority will meet—probably separately—with Egyptian officials in Cairo tomorrow to discuss a possible truce. Twelve days of fighting have left 688 Palestinians and 10 Israelis dead. More»

(NEWSER) - Israel and Hamas are considering a new truce proposal floated by Egypt and France, Reuters reports. Few details emerged, but the US supports the plan, as does Europe. The development comes on the deadliest day yet of the conflict, after an Israeli missile struck a UN school and killed at least 42. In the meantime, Israel has offered to halt shelling in certain areas for limited times so residents can receive supplies, the BBC notes. More»

Zawahiri mocks him as a potential 'savior'

(NEWSER) - Al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader called the Israeli invasion of Gaza a "gift from Obama" and urged Muslims to take revenge against Israel, CNN reports. In an audio message posted on extremist websites, Ayman al-Zawahiri said that Barack Obama was portrayed as "the savior who will come and change American policy" but that instead he is now "killing your brothers and sisters in Gaza without mercy or even pity." More»

(NEWSER) - It's no surprise that Israel has struck back at Hamas, but the intensity of the attacks "appeared to stun Western governments and analysts," writes Michael Abramowitz of the Washington Post. Barack Obama's camp has remained largely mum so far on the air assaults that have killed more than 200, but it will likely come under pressure to rein in Israel. In the meantime, any hope Obama had of an early Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement has gone up in smoke. More»

Government strikes deal with Hamas for Gilad Shalit

(NEWSER) - After more than five years as a captive of Palestinian militants, soldier Gilad Shalit will be home within days, the Israeli government says. Shalit, now 25, was 19 when he was captured during a cross-border raid in 2006, and his captivity has long been an emotional issue in Israel. To secure his release, the Israeli government has promised Hamas that it will free 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, close to a fifth of all Palestinians held by Israel, the BBC reports. More»