Middle East, Israel | featured news

Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza on Saturday that exploded close to the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon without causing any damages or injuries, an Israeli military spokesman said. Israeli forces and Gaza militants are supposed to refrain from attacking each other under a fragile cease-fire. The truce has been breached several times, making diplomatic efforts to build a lasting agreement difficult.

Senior officials in the Islamic group Hamas are indicating a willingness to negotiate a deal for a long-term truce with Israel as long as the borders of Gaza are opened to the rest of the world.

New US special envoy George Mitchell begins his Middle East tour in Cairo Tuesday with a brief from President Barack Obama to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress in Arab-Israeli peace efforts.

Hamas officials say they have given Egyptian mediators their views on a Gaza cease-fire plan with Israel, and are waiting for Israel's response.

The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday gave its full support to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he heads to the Middle East to ...