Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian security officials on Sunday in a fresh push for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, two Hamas sources said, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to hold security talks on the matter,

A former Israeli defence minister has accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, drawing a sharp rebuke from government ranks.

In Israel, a former defense minister and fierce critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the government of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza.

CAIRO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Israeli military strikes killed at least 40 Palestinians overnight and on Friday in the Gaza Strip, medics said, as efforts to revive Gaza ceasefire talks received a boost with officials from the Palestinian group Hamas headed to Cairo for a new round of talks.

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip – The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Sunday it is halting aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted recent convoys. It blamed the breakdown of law and order in large part on Israeli policies.

Israeli soldiers continue their operations in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza, where Hamas is trying to regroup, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday. Meanwhile, a delegation of Egyptian security officials was due to arrive in Israel hoping to arrange a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Hamas leaders conducted talks with Egyptian security officials on Sunday as part of renewed efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, according