edical personnel in the Gaza Strip say a 14-year-old Palestinian girl has been killed during an Israeli raid in the Gaza Strip Saturday.
The raid began before dawn, when Israeli troops entered the northern town of Beit Lahiya.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says no progress was achieved during his recent meeting with U.S. President George Bush on the Mideast peace process.
Mr. Abbas was in Washington this week for talks with Mr. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The Palestinian leader told the Associated Press Friday he is disappointed the U.S. has not pushed Israel to stop expanding Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory.
Mr. Abbas called the issue the biggest obstacle to peace with Israel.
The U.S. State Department announced Friday that Rice will travel to London, Israel and the West Bank next week to discuss the Middle East peace process. A spokesman says she will meet in London with other members of the international quartet on Middle East peace - the U.S., Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
The trip is expected to be her last to the region before President Bush goes there around the middle of next month.
Earlier Friday, Israel dismissed a six-month truce proposal from Hamas. An Israeli government spokesman, David Baker, suggested Hamas was only offering a cease-fire in order to recover and re-arm following recent fighting.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
