Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, has ordered his peace negotiators to stay in Taba, Egypt, to await word from Israel on the fate of talks as further causalities have reported with the death of a Palestinian woman in the West Bank.
In Jerusalem, a spokesperson said Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ehud Barak is expected to convene ministers this evening to discuss a possible resumption of the talks.
Following the killing of two Israelis yesterday, Mr Barak recalled his negotiators from Taba to determine whether Israel should continue the push for peace less than two weeks before prime ministerial elections on February 6th.
Palestinian negotiator, Mr Nabil Shaath said today that Mr Arafat ordered his team to remain at the Egyptian Red Sea resort until at least this evening when he is expected to issue new directives.
Meanwhile senior hospital officials on the West Bank have reported the death of a Palestinian woman at an Israeli army checkpoint when a car taking her to hospital for treatment for a heart attack was prevented from passing.
Mr Moussa Abu Hmeid, director of West Bank hospitals, said 28-year- old Ms Aisha Abdel-Karim Nassar was held up for 45 minutes at the checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah and died before an ambulance reached her. She was also anaemic, he said.
The army said it was checking the report.
Human rights groups have accused the Israeli army of harassing Palestinians at checkpoints and complained that some incidents have resulted in deaths.
At least 310 Palestinians, 47 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed in violence since the start of a Palestinian uprising in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Earlier today border officials reported that Israel has closed the Egyptian-Israeli border crossing of Rafah today, stopping access to and from Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip.
Reuters/AFP