Rafah, Egypt - A Palestinian-Scottish couple ar

Gaza City  - The Palestinian militant group Hamas said Friday it would "benefit" from Israel's prisoners exchange with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, suggesting the deal had strengthened its negotiating position regarding an Israeli soldier it is holding captive in Gaza.

"Hamas will benefit from the release (by Israel to Lebanon) of prisoners with blood on their hands and this will help Hamas reach a similar deal," Khalil Hayeh, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said.

Gaza  - Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip Monday said former British prime minister Tony Blair would visit the enclave the following day but would not meet with members of the Islamic movement.

Ismail Radwan and Ahmed Yousef, two senior members of Hamas, said Blair, who is currently the representative of the Mideast Quartet - made up of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nation - would be provided security by the police forces of their movement.

Hamas took over Gaza last summer, ousting forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah party.

Gaza - Palestinian militants based in Gaza fired a home-made rocket into Israel on

Paris  - Talks between Palestinians and Israelis are falling short of expectations, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Saturday in Paris.

Discussing the mood ahead of Sunday's summit of the Union for the Mediterranean in Paris, Kouchner told journalists, "Being around the same table with people you have fought is the beginning of something, it is a wind of hope."

He was referring to the fact that Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would all take part in the summit.

Gaza - A Hamas delegation was due to head for Yemen on Saturday to discuss proposals for Palestinian reconciliation put forward by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a Hamas spokesman said.

Saleh's initiative calls on Hamas to relinquish control of the Gaza Strip, which the militant movement seized after routing the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in June 2007.

The delegation comprises Hamas' politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, his deputy, Moussa Abu Marzouq, and a former Hamas interior minister, Said Siam.