Paris - French President Nicolas Sarkozy received Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday for urgent talks on trying to end the latest Gaza Strip crisis.

The talks were already overshadowed by an Israeli rejection of a call by the European Union for a 48-hour truce in the hostilities.

Sarkozy is to travel to the Mideast region starting next Monday to continue his mediation efforts, with visits to Cairo, Ramallah and Jerusalem, Elysee Palace said.

The French president had already been scheduled to visit French forces in southern Lebanon, and now is to expand the itinerary to try to help mediate in the Gaza crisis, officials noted.

Besides Sarkozy, a top-ranking EU delegation led by chief diplomat Javier Solana is expected to travel to the region. (dpa)