Gaza violence death toll rises to 1,800

Both Israel and Hamas have vowed to continue their 27-day confrontation in Gaza Strip, shunning efforts to broker an end to the bloodshed which has claimed more than 1,800 lives. With no resolution in sight, a senior Palestinian delegation has landed in Cairo for talks on Sunday on an Egyptian ceasefire initiative, but Israel said it was not sending a negotiating team. ‘Hamas has proven that it breaches any agreement reached right away, as happened five times in previous truces,’ Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzahi HaNegbi said after the army on Sunday morning announced the death of Hadar Goldin, the soldier who went missing in Gaza during a 72-hour ceasefire three days ago. A special committee led by the army’s chief rabbi said Lieutenant Goldin had been ‘killed in Gaza on Friday’. However, an army spokesman refused to say whether the soldier’s remains had been found. Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, had acknowledged its militants staged an ambush early Friday in which two other Israeli soldiers were killed, but denied holding Goldin. The Gaza violence has killed 1,760 Palestinians and 67 Israelis since the start of hostilities on July 8, according to AFP.