Gaza held its first elections in more than 20 years on Saturday – but only in one city for a small fraction of the shattered territory’s population.

Israel was also evacuating a sizable town near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.

By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO, April 20 (Reuters) - Israeli strikes killed at least five Palestinians in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip on Monday, Palestinian health officials said, and fighters from Hamas clashed with gunmen from an Israeli-backed militia,

It will be Gaza's first vote of any kind since 2006, when Hamas won the PA's legislative elections and later seized control of Gaza following a brief civil war with PA President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah.

Avraham Zarbiv became known on Israel’s right for demolishing buildings in Gaza. He lit a torch at a national ceremony on Tuesday evening.

Gaza’s most dire conditions — the lack of food and medicine, continuing Israeli attacks, destroyed hospitals, schools and residential buildings, homelessness and overcrowding — now include rodents, climbing temperatures and open-air sewage.

Such a step would be a remarkable concession from Hamas, which until now has publicly resisted giving up any of its arms.

April 22 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinians, including three children, in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, health officials said. Medics and civil defense officials said the five people were targeted by an Israeli strike near a mosque in Beit Lahiya,