8 Dead in Jerusalem Shooting

Egypt brokers deal to stop escalating violence

(AP) - Gaza militants agreed to a cease-fire with Israel to stop spiking violence, a Hamas official said today, after a deadly attack across the Egyptian border on Israeli vehicles set off a three-day round of rapidly escalating Israeli airstrikes and rocket barrages from Gaza. The sudden flareup also threatened Israel-Egypt relations, after three Egyptian police were killed as the cross-border clash developed Thursday. Egypt complained strongly as thousands demonstrated in Cairo, and Israel apologized. More»

Six sites damaged in response to rocket fire

(AP) - The Israeli military struck a series of Palestinian militant targets in the Gaza Strip today, damaging two smuggling tunnels, two weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, and two other militant sites. Palestinian officials said 19 people were wounded. The attacks were in response to a barrage of 56 mortar shells and rockets fired by Gaza militants over the past week, the military said. The tunnels, it added, were meant for militants to infiltrate Israeli territory to attack civilians and soldiers. More»

Party shares blame with Israel for sky-high unemployment

(NEWSER) - As joblessness mounts in the beleaguered Gaza Strip, more and more residents are blaming the ruling Hamas party for their woes, GlobalPost reports. Although Gaza has one of the fastest population growth rates on earth, 45% of people have no job and 85% depend on aid to get by. And while Palestinians largely blame Israel’s stifling economic blockade, they are increasingly turning their ire on Hamas, too. More»

Ban on weapons remains in force

(NEWSER) - Israel will allow goods to enter Gaza by land but will continue to ban the importation of weapons and will maintain its naval blockade on the area, CNN reports . Rather than listing what's allowed in , Israel will permit everything other than " weapons and material that Hamas uses to prepare and carry out terror ," PM Benjamin Netanyahu tells Reuters . The move comes 3 weeks after Israeli troops stormed aid ships and 10 pro-Palestinian activists died. More»

(AP) - Uniformed Hamas fighters emerged on Gaza City's streets today as leaders of the group vowed to restore order in the shattered Palestinian territory, the AP reports. Hamas proclaimed victory as Gazans picked through the rubble, which included some 4,100 homes and 1,500 factories valued at nearly $2 billion. Hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid will be needed immediately to help Gazans survive, a UN chief said. More»