JEBALIYA (Gaza Strip), Nov 23: A 64-year-old Palestinian grandmother blew herself up near Israeli troops sweeping through northern Gaza on Thursday, accenting a day of clashes and rocket fire that threaten to derail fragile efforts for a cease-fire.

Eight other Palestinians were killed on the second day of Israel's current operation aimed at halting or at least slowing the rocket fire from northern Gaza at nearby Israeli towns and villages.

In a hopeful sign, however, the supreme leader of the militant Hamas began talks in Cairo on Thursday on a vital prisoner swap with Israel and formation of a Palestinian national unity government that might end months of painful Western aid sanctions.

As Israeli forces were moving through the Jebaliya refugee camp north of Gaza City, they spotted a woman acting suspiciously, the military said. Soldiers threw a stun grenade, a weapon that makes a loud nose but causes no damage. Then the woman set off explosives she was carrying, killing herself and slightly wounding two of the soldiers.—AP