Abbas breaks off contact with Israel over Gaza attacks

Gaza: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has suspended peace negotiations with Israel, demanding it end a Gaza offensive that has killed more than 100 Palestinians, many of them civilians.

The announcement comes in the midst of angry demonstrations over the bloody attacks, and the shooting of a 14-year-old boy by Israeli troops in the West Bank. A 21-month year old girl was the latest casualty in Gaza on Sunday.

Abbas' office condemned the attack, but stopped short of declaring the US-brokered talks a failure.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to continue the assault, saying Israel was acting in self-defence to curb rocket attacks by militants.

An Israeli spokesman called Abbas' announcement a mistake.

Egypt meanwhile said it has opened its border crossing with Gaza and was allowing seriously injured Palestinians to cross to receive medical treatment.