Following heavy international pressure, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to the U.S. proposal to hold talks with Israel - in the format of indirect negotiations conducted by U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell.

The IDF risked the lives of Palestinian civilians in order to minimize the risk posed to its soldiers during Operation Cast Lead, the Independent quoted "a high-ranking" IDF officer as saying in a report published Wednesday.

Israeli F-16s carried out an air strike late Tuesday against underground smuggling tunnels at the Gaza Strip-Egypt border, in response to two explosive laden barrels that washed up on beaches in Ashdod and Ashkelon the previous day, an Israeli army spokesman said.

Police bomb disposal experts examined a barrel at Palmachim on south of Tel Aviv on Wednesday afternoon, suspecting a third explosive device washed ashore in Israel this week.

A preliminary investigation conducted by Hamas suggests that the assassination of one of its officials in Dubai last month was likely carried out by agents of an Arab government, and not by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

The level of Lake Kinneret has risen by more than 34 inches in the past two months.

De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday that Hamas seeks national reconciliation and is not afraid of elections "because we came to move forward and take responsibility and we will not back down under any circumstances."

Prisoner swap negotiations over the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit have "collapsed" due to policies set by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar said Tuesday in an interview with the BBC.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel must have a presence in the West Bank even after a peace agreement is achieved, the first time he has spelled out such a demand.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke personally multiple times on Sunday in an effort to settle their dispute over whether to form a committee to probe Operation Cast Lead.