U.N. Security Council to meet on Gaza conflict

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council will hold a special meeting on Saturday on the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians, the U.N. press office said.

The meeting was set for 7 p.m. EST (2400 GMT).

Israel launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, sending tanks and infantry into battle with Hamas fighters who have defied eight days of deadly air strikes with salvoes of rocket fire into Israeli towns. (Reporting by Lou Charbonneau, editing by Patricia Zengerle)