CAIRO: Egypt called on Israel Saturday to immediately halt punitive strikes on the Palestinian Gaza Strip after militants carried out deadly attacks in Israel. "Egypt denounces the use of force against civilians in any circumstance and strongly advises Israel to immediately stop its military operations against Gaza," a foreign ministry statement said. Relations between Egypt and Israel are at the lowest point in years after five Egyptian policemen were killed on Thursday along the border as Israeli troops pursued attackers who carried out a deadly ambush in its Negev Desert. Eight Israelis were killed in the attack, which Israel blamed on Palestinians militants from Gaza who it said had slipped into Israeli territory through Egypt. Egypt has asked Israel for an apology and an investigation into the deaths. Israel and the Palestinians were battling each other for a third day on Saturday, as rockets fired from Gaza wounded three Palestinian workers in southern Israel and Israeli planes attacked the coastal enclave. Palestinians say the strikes on Thursday and Friday killed a total of 14 people and wounded over 40. On Saturday, rockets fired from Gaza wounded three Palestinian workers in southern Israel and Israeli planes attacked the coastal enclave. Among those claiming responsibility for the rocket attacks, was the Popular Resistance Committees, a radical militant group blamed by Israel for Thursday's Negev attacks.
