Gaza talks put on hold

Associated Press

JERUSALEM

Egyptian-brokered talks between Israel and Hamas on a new border deal for Gaza were thrown into doubt Saturday after senior officials said an Israeli team would not rejoin negotiations in Cairo unless rocket fire from Gaza stops.

A day after the end of a temporary truce, cross-border attacks continued Saturday, though at a lower intensity than on most days in the past month of fighting.

Gaza militants fired 28 rockets at Israel, the army said, while Israel struck about 50 targets in Gaza that it said were linked to militants, including mosques and homes.

The indirect talks in Cairo — which began earlier in the week with Egyptians shuttling between the Israeli and Palestinian delegations — were meant to produce a sustainable cease-fire and new border arrangements for Gaza.

Israel and Egypt have severely restricted trade and movement in and out of Gaza since the Islamic militant Hamas seized the territory by force seven years ago.