Envoy: Egypt working to calm Gaza fighting

The Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority said Wednesday that Egypt is working to restore calm to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Since Monday, Israeli airstrikes have killed seven Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and Gaza brigades, including Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, have fired a barrage of rockets into Israel. Amb. Yasser Othman said Egyptian authorities are in contact with all parties in order to quell the fighting. Egypt is calling on Israel to stop attacks on Gaza in order for Palestinian factions to also halt fire, he said. A Palestinian source told Reuters that the sides agreed to cease fire at 11 p.m. Tuesday at the behest of Egypt, but overnight Tuesday Israel launched seven airstrikes on the coastal enclave, and seven rockets were fired into southern Israel, the army said.