Israeli air raids yesterday struck eastern and southern Gaza City, killing two Palestinians, including a child, as attacks continued in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces begun a three-day exercise across the occupied West Bank, raising concerns among Palestinians over increased military activity.

In the northern Jordan Valley, Israeli settlers destroyed a residential tent and agricultural crops belonging to Palestinians, the Wafa news agency reported. The attack took place on Sunday night in Khirbet al-Farsiya in the occupied West Bank.

Settlers also stole agricultural equipment during the attack, which came amid a wave of rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Meanwhile, Israel has handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners to authorities in Gaza under the ceasefire agreement.

A medical source told the Wafa news agency that the bodies had been brought by Red Cross teams to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

US envoy Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem yesterday as Washington pressed efforts to ensure the fragile Gaza ceasefire holds. A senior Turkish official said late on Sunday that Turkey is working to ensure the safe passage of some 200 civilians trapped in tunnels in Gaza.

Palestinian group Hamas earlier said that fighters holed up in the Israeli-held Rafah area will not surrender to Israel and it urged mediators to find a solution to a crisis that threatens the month-old ceasefire.

The United Arab Emirates does not yet see a clear framework for the proposed international stability force in Gaza and, under the current circumstances, will not take part, a senior Emirati official said yesterday.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said Abu Dhabi would continue to support political efforts toward peace and remain a leading provider of humanitarian aid.

The World Bank backs language in a US-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution on Gaza that would authorise a two-year mandate for a transitional governance body, according to a letter to the United States seen by Reuters.

The 15-member UN Security Council began negotiations on Thursday on the text that would mandate a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration, giving it the authority to establish operational entities to address issues including the reconstruction of Gaza and of economic recovery programs.

An Israeli strike on a main highway in southern Lebanon killed one person yesterday, the Lebanese health ministry said, as Israel intensifies attacks on its northern neighbour, reports AFP.

Over the weekend, strikes killed five other people, with Israel accusing its Iran-backed foe Hezbollah of rearming.

"An Israeli strike on a car in the area of Baissariyeh killed one person," the health ministry said yesterday.