Gaza - A Palestinian was killed Saturday inside a smuggling tunnel which collapsed be

Gaza City - European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in Gaza on Friday that he came to the Strip to show solidarity with its people.

Speaking to reporters at the American School, destroyed in the 22- day-long Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip last month, Solana said "I came to express solidarity with the people of Gaza."

The Palestinian news agency Wafa said the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere also visited the Gaza Strip on Friday. It said both European officials expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction caused by the Israeli air, land and sea assault.

Tel Aviv - Providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip needs to be done in a way that does not boost the Islamist Hamas movement which administers the salient, outgoing Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Thursday.

Speaking as she was about to meet newly-appointed US envoy George Mitchell, she said her parley with the former senator would focus on an upcoming conference on aid for the Gaza Strip, which begins in Egypt on Monday.

"Israel believes it is important to help their material needs. This must be done in a way that doesn't strengthen Hamas," she said.

Cairo - Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah started national unity talks in Cairo on Thurday to over come a bitter split between rival governments in the West bank and Gaza.

The Cairo meeting, sponsored by Egyptian intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman, urged Palestinian factions to overcome their disputes and focus on the best interests of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian factions will discuss the formation of five committees to work toward a unity government, Suleiman said. Both Hamas and Fatah will be represented in these committees, which will begin meeting on March 8.

Cairo  - A delegation from the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas arrived in Cairo late on Tuesday from Damascus ahead of inter- Palestinian reconciliation talks being hosted by Egypt.

The seven-member delegation, headed by Mussa Abu Marzouq, deputy of Hamas' exiled political leader Khaled Meshaal, is to meet with Egyptian mediators during the visit.

Another Hamas delegation from the densely-populated Gaza Strip, headed by senior member Mahmoud al-Zahar, was also due to participate in the talks.

Oslo  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held talks Tuesday with Norwegian officials, focusing on the humanitarian plight in Gaza and prospects for peace.

Abbas, currently touring several European capitals, met Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

The Palestinian Authority leader told reporters that he supported a national unity government between Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, and his own Fatah party.

Stoltenberg said that Norway's main "concern now is the humanitarian situation in Gaza. There is a desperate need for food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid."