Several UK dailies report on continuing violence in and around the Gaza region. The Times, Financial Times, Independent and Independent i all carry articles on an Israel Air Force strike over the weekend, which killed two Islamist leaders who the IDF say were planning a complex terror attack on Israel via Egypt’s Sinai region. The two men were leaders of ultra-conservative Salafi Muslim terrorist groups, which have launched rocket and land-based attacks against Israel somewhat independently from Hamas. Meanwhile, rockets continued to fall on southern Israel over the weekend, with one damaging property near Netivot.

Elsewhere in the region, the ongoing tension between Turkey and Syria is reported in the Daily Mirror and online editions of the Times and Telegraph. After Turkey last week forced a Syrian civilian plane to land before confiscating its cargo, both countries banned each other from using their air space over the weekend. The Daily Mirror report focuses on Turkey’s build up of troops and weaponry along the Syrian border. Meanwhile, the online editions of the Times, Guardian and Independent report on evidence presented by Human Rights Watch that Syrian President Assad’s forces have stepped up their use of indiscriminate cluster bombs in civilian areas.

The Telegraph reports that the European Union (EU) is set to impose a new set of toughened sanctions against Iran at a meeting of EU leaders in Luxembourg today. The report quotes the German Foreign Minister who yesterday said that increased sanctions are necessary, as Iran has failed to answer any of the important questions over its nuclear programme. Over the weekend the Sunday Telegraph published a lengthy report on Israel’s home front preparations for the possibility of a conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, the Independent this morning includes an article on a report in German magazine Der Spiegel, that suggests Iran has been harbouring a plan to cause a deliberate oil spill in the Persian Gulf, which would necessitate Iranian cooperation in the subsequent clean up and consequently a relaxing of sanctions against Tehran. The Telegraph also devotes column inches to this story.

The Times and the Telegraph both report on a decision by the Tel Aviv District Family Court, which yesterday ruled that a collection of Franz Kafka’s papers, which have remained in the possession of a Tel Aviv family for over 40 years, must be transferred to the National Library of Israel.

In this morning’s Israeli media, the front pages are dominated by the surprise retirement from politics of Likud’s Minister for Communications and Welfare, Moshe Kahlon. It is the headline story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom. Kahlon is considered a very popular figure within the Likud Party and is viewed as being particularly strong on social issues, which are expected to be a major feature of the campaign ahead of the upcoming elections. Maariv’s Shalom Yerushalmi comments, “The Likud has no other authentic social figures.”

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom, Makor Rishon and Israel Radio News report on today’s opening of the Knesset’s winter session, which is expected to immediately approve a bill to dissolve parliament and hold elections on 22 January.

Both Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post report on a meeting yesterday in Ramallah between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and MKs and mayors from various Israeli political parties. During the meeting, Abbas claimed that he and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were just two months away from reaching a peace agreement, had Olmert not resigned his position in 2008. Abbas also indicated that he is willing to return to negotiations without pre-conditions following Israel’s upcoming elections.