Leaders mark Eid al Fitr with calls for peace - and warnings

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians they suspected might be planting explosives, according to the Arab Monitor. The news agency also reported that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh issued a fatwa against Palestinians who worked for firms building what Palestinians say are "illegal" Israeli settlements.

In Iraq, many streamed north to Kurdistan to celebrate the holiday, and seek respite from the violence that still plagues much of the rest of the country, the Associated Press reported.

For the war-weary traveler, the Kurdish region offers not just a refuge from violence but also reliable electricity, stunning natural beauty, cooler weather and fewer social restrictions.

"We have heard from people who have been there ... that it's like being in a different country," said Haidr Mohammed Ali, a 36-year-old government employee from Baghdad who was taking his wife, two children and his cousin's family to the Kurdish city of Irbil by minibus.

AFP reported that many Saudi Arabians would head to less-restrictive neighboring countries to party and relax, while some would enjoy several planned festivities closer to home.

In Saudi Arabia, fireworks were planned on Sunday night around Riyadh, a skydiving performance was expected and the Prince Faisal sports stadium was hosting a parade and motorcycle races.

However many Saudis were also expected to stream into neighboring Dubai and Bahrain for Eid. Both locations are popular for those seeking a break from the ultra-conservative kingdom's restrictions on movies, music and alcohol.

In the restive southern Philippines, Muslim and Christian leaders exchanged peace messages, the Inquirer reported.

And China's 20 million Muslims "donned festive costume and swarmed mosques to hear preaching given by imams," according to the state-run Xinhua news service.

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