Eight Palestinians have been killed during an Israeli raid in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic Jihad militant group said at least five of its fighters were among those killed.
The Israeli army said the raid was aimed at militants who often fire mortars at a nearby Jewish settlement.
The raid began as US envoy John Wolf headed for talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Returning after months of absence, Wolf pressed Qurie and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to hold a long-delayed summit crucial to reviving a peace 'road map', and demanded that Palestinians curb militant violence, officials said.
