Fatah and Hamas reach agreement on unity government

On Monday Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal have agreed on the formation of a unity government between the Fatah and the Hamas, which will prepare for upcoming elections in the West Bank and Gaza (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk).

Read Full Post »

Hamas and Israel reach prisoner-swap deal

More than 1,000 Palestinians will be released in exchange for Israeli Sgt Gilad Shalit who has been held by Palestinian militants since June 2006, when he was captured in a cross-border raid.

The announcement on Tuesday brought celebration both in the Gaza Strip and in Jerusalem (photo, from europe1.fr).

Read Full Post »

Fatah and Hamas reach reconciliation deal

After talks in Cairo, the Hamas and Fatah (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk), the party of Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, both agreed to form an interim government and fix a date for general elections.

Read Full Post »

Palestinian chief negotiator offered resignation

After leading several rounds of peace talks with Israel, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk) announced on Saturday that he has handed his resignation to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Read Full Post »

Gaza waiting for aid ships

A flotilla of aid ships bound for the Gaza Strip has left Cyprus, organisers say. (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk)

Around 5am local time (2am GMT), five ships left the island and they are expected to reach Gazan waters late on Sunday afternoon.

Read Full Post »

Nakba marked by Palestinians

In the Gaza Strip, thousands of Palestinians have gathered (photo, from aljazeera.net) in order to mark the 61st anniversary of the “Nakba” (catastrophe). It describes the dispersal of hundreds of thousands of refugees after the creation of Israel.

Read Full Post »

Israeli deadlock confirmed

Neither of the two main parties (photo, from bbc.co.uk) can form a government on its own, confirmed the final results of Israel’s general election.

Read Full Post »

UN suspends Gaza aid operation

After a series of Israeli attacks on its personnel and buildings, the United Nations aid agency has suspended its operation in the Gaza Strip. (photo, from bbc.co.uk)

Read Full Post »

Obama ‘deeply concerned’ by the situation in Gaza

“The loss of civilian life in Gaza and Israel is a source of deep concern for me”, said Barack Obama, the US president-elect (photo, from cbsnews.com).

He repeated that until he became president on January 20, only George W. Bush could speak on US foreign policy.

Read Full Post »

Israeli forces cut Gaza in two

The Gaza Strip is cut in two in effect, as Israeli ground troops and heavy armour have moved deeper into the territory. (photo, from lemonde.fr)

Read Full Post »