The mothers of two suicide bombers who carried out an attack in southern Israel on Monday have been speaking to Al Jazeera.Despite the initial confusion over who was actually behind the explosions, both say they knew at an early stage that their sons had been involved.One woman was killed when the bombers targeted a shopping centre in Dimona.Nour Odeh reports.
Israel has cut fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks from the territory and plans to impose further sanctions.Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Gaza, looks at how some of Gaza’s residents are being affected.
The Palestinian president has suspended further talks with Israel, but there are increasing calls from the streets of Gaza that his Fatah party MUST talk with Hamas.
Nour Odeh now looks at the protest against Israel’s use of force and growing demands for Palestinian unity.
A fourth day of aerial bombardment by Israeli aircraft is now being backed up now by ground forces making their deepest incursion into Gaza since 2005.
The chief negotiator for the Palestinians says any hope for the peace talks now lies buried in the rubble of Gaza.
More than 80 people - women and children among them - have been killed over the past four days, and international condemnation remains muted.
Nour Odeh has been following the day’s developments.
Palestinians are watching with interest, and perhaps some confusion, as their leaders exchange contradictory messages about prospects of national reconciliation and peace with Israel. Overnight, Ismail Haniya told the media Hamas’ control over Gaza was temporary, suggesting his movement would be willing to give up its 4-month-old control of Gaza in exchange for renewed dialogue with President Abbas and the Fatah movement. He also alluded to efforts by some Arab capitals to reunify the divided Palestinian people. Speaking earlier to Palestine TV, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, made it clear there are conditions for dialogue with Hamas to resume. The Palestine Liberation Organisation echoes Abbas’ demands. Immediately following the Gaza takeover, the PLO considered it a coup — a dangerous precedent in domestic Palestinian politics that should not be endorsed.But despite the confusion, the timing of this exchange is significant. Four months after the violent Hamas takeover of Gaza, the movement is isolated and sidelined with the international community, including many Arab states, backing Abbas. Momentum is also picking up on the Israeli-Palestinian track — with the PLO now preparing for an upcoming peace summit in the US while engaging in what has been described as tough negotiations with Israel on key issues. Observers say the Palestinian division is sure to weaken the president’s position in ongoing negotiations - but it doesn’t seem he’s willing to reach national unity at any cost. Opinion polls also show an increasing frustration with the Palestinian geographical and political division. But it seems the people’s aspirations for a united and reconciled Palestinian political leadership will have to wait for now.Nour Odeh, Al Jazeera