TEL AVIV — Palestinian militants unleashed a barrage of missiles at Israeli towns on Wednesday in revenge for a military incursion into the Gaza Strip that killed at least six, marking the first serious test of a 4 ½ month calm between Hamas and Israel.
Despite the sudden outburst, Israel and Hamas signaled Wednesday they prefer to hold to an Egyptian ceasefire, brokered this summer that halted daily cross-border attacks in Israel from Gaza, the coastal strip of 1.5 million Palestinians controlled by the Islamist group Hamas.

HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) – Jewish settlers say they are ready to fight U.S.-trained, Palestinian security forces who are being sent to the tense West Bank city of Hebron.
Fear of a showdown if the armed Palestinians move into the center, where a hard core of sometimes violent settlers lives, makes the deployment the biggest test yet for a U.S. plan to build up the force, seen as vital in persuading Israel it can end its occupation without compromising its own security.

Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wants to resume indirect peace negotiations with Syria, his spokesman has said.
Four rounds of talks were held earlier this year, through Turkish mediators, but were suspended when Mr Olmert resigned over corruption allegations.
Mr Olmert is expected to remain caretaker prime minister until after elections due in February.

Palestinian terrorists on Thursday morning violated the fragile truce with Israel once more, firing a Kassam rocket from the Gaza Strip at the western Negev town of Sderot.
Following the attack, Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the closure of crossings for the transferal of goods between Israel and Gaza.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – A boat carrying 27 activists sailed into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, braving stormy seas and defying an Israeli naval blockade to call attention to Israeli sanctions on the Hamas-controlled territory.
Israel had threatened to block the boat but did not interfere, and it sailed unhindered into a Gaza harbor. It was greeted by Hamas policemen and a small group of Palestinian activists.

The Israeli attorney general has called for an investigation into murderous incitement by settlers against Israeli soldiers, according to Israeli media.
“We hope… they will all be killed… because this is what they deserve,” an unnamed settler told Army Radio.
The comments came amid rioting in which Muslim graves were desecrated after the army removed an illegal outpost near Hebron in the West Bank on Saturday.