Fatah and Hamas agreed on ceasefire

According to Palestinian reports, Hamas and Fatah managed to agree on a ceasefire.

The talks between the two factions were chaperoned by Egyptian officials and an agreement was concluded a short while ago. It is hoped that the agreement would prove lasting and that all violence shall cease. A third man was killed earler in the Gaza Strip as skirmishes continued.

The dead man was a Fatah officer who was gunned down by several masked men.

No reason to hold negotiations with Syria

According to a top aide of PM, Ehud Olmert, there is not reason to hold negotiations with Syria at this time. The aide said that the preliminary conditions of Israel had already been passed to Syria which has done nothing towards fulfilling them. In fact, Syria is supposedly placing spokes in the wheels of the efforts to establish a national unity government in the Palestinian Territories and delivers arms to Hezbollah or does nothing to stop arms from flowing to the Lebanese terror group through its borders. The aide also doubted whether such negotiations will prompt Syria to sever its ties with Iran and allow its removal from Bush's Axis of Evil.
Olmert had earlier today expressed the view that Israel should not start negotiations with Syria when President Bush refuses to talk to Syria himself.



Editorial note: Syria was not originally a member of Bush's Axis of Evil

Continued Riots in Gaza

Shots were fired on a Fatah demonstration in the North of Gaza. A few people were injured in what became a mass Fatah protest, numbering in the tens of thousands.

Earlier, 4,000 soldiers of the Presidential Guard and the al-akza brigades took control of the agriculture and transportation offices in Gaza in what the Hamas calls a military coup. Hamas appointed FM, Mahmoud al-Zahar declared in a press conference that if the offices are not vacated, the infiltrators will be disarmed and arrested.

In other skirmishes in Gaza at least 2 people were killed and a yet unclear number were injured.

Mortars fired in Gaza

A mortar bomb was fired on the Palestinian Television building in Gaza.
A second mortar was fired on the the residence of President Abu Mazen in Gaza.
A few Palestinians were killed. Abu Mazen is not in Gaza at all at the moment.
A third mortar was fired on the home of a Fatah officer.
Earlier today a Fatah post was burned and shot were fired on Hamas appointed FM al-Zahar.
Sporadic fighting between Hamas and Fatah operatives continue in Gaza and the West Bank.

Further details will be reported when available.

Hamas will boycot early elections

According to reports made by the Palestinian Foreign Office, an assassination attempt was made today on the life of Hamas appointed FM, Mahmoud al-Zahar. The reports stated that shots were fired at the car he was riding but he emerged unscathed. Al-Zahar's guards returned fire. Hamas blames Fatah for the attempt.
PM Haniyeh responded today to president's Abu Mazen speech of yesterday and announced that Hamas will not take part in an early election. This despite certain polls in the Palestinian Territories which show that Haniyeh trails Abu Mazen by a single point.
Yesterday, over 20 people were injured in fightings between Fatah and Hamas supporters.