As the World’s Christians prayed for peace in the Middle East, a Hamas fighter was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip.

Officials say at least two other Palestinians were injured in the attack which Israeli military officials say was in retaliation for earlier rocket fire by militants. On a visit to the border town of Sderot, Israeli President Shimon Peres made his position clear: “If the people in Gaza want to live in peace, if the people in Gaza want to enjoy free passage, there is a simple thing they can do: stop shooting.” By nightfall yesterday Gaza militants had fired more than 30 rockets and mortars at the town of Ashkelon just over the border. Hamas said the offensive was in retaliation for the deaths of three of its men on Tuesday. Israel has halted a staged easing of its blockade of the stricken territory in response. An Israeli delegation is due in Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak later today.More about: Blockade, Egypt

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