Israeli police on Tuesday rescued an ultra-Orthodox soldier who was attacked by a group of his coreligionists in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood, a spokesman said.

"Police rescued an ultra-Orthodox soldier who had taken refuge inside a building in Mea Shearim after being attacked by dozens of haredim," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Agence France Presse, using the Hebrew word for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that it would give Egypt $5 billion (3.9 billion euro) aid to support its economy, six days after the army toppled Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

The aid, which was decided by King Abdullah, will be made up of a $2 billion interest-free deposit in Egypt's central bank, a $1 billion donation and the equivalent of $2 billion in oil and gas products.

The United States said Tuesday it was "cautiously encouraged" by a timeline proposed by Egypt's interim rulers for elections to replace ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

Washington also again walked a fine line on the issue of whether it would brand the military takeover as a "coup" -- a move that would cut $1.5 billion in U.S. aid.

The United States on Tuesday rejected Russian claims raised at the United Nations that Syrian rebels had used chemical weapons.

"We have yet to see any evidence that backs up the assertion that anybody besides the Syrian government has the ability to use chemical weapons, (or) has used chemical weapons," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

A siege imposed by rebel forces on regime-controlled areas of Syria's second city Aleppo has created food shortages ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, a watchdog said on Tuesday.

"A large number of food products are no longer available, and others have become increasingly difficult to find, driving up prices," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The wife and children of Islamist cleric Abu Qatada, who faces trial on terror charges in Jordan following his deportation from Britain, are planning to move to Amman from London, a family friend said on Tuesday.

"Abu Qatada's wife and five children want to leave Britain and come to Jordan. They are currently preparing for that," the family friend told Agence France Presse, asking not to be named.

Russia's U.N. envoy said Tuesday he has handed over evidence to the United Nations which indicates Syrian rebels used sarin gas in an attack in March.

The envoy, Vitaly Churkin, said Russian experts had been to the scene of the attack at Khan al-Assal near Aleppo and had gathered firsthand evidence.

Egypt's armed forces warned on Tuesday against any attempt to disrupt the country's "difficult and complex" transition.

The statement, read out on state television, comes almost a week after the army overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi and appointed top judge Adly Mansour as caretaker leader.

The new head of the Syrian National Coalition has backed calls for a truce from U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon during the holy month of Ramadan.

Ahmad Assi Jarba, who was elected to the post on Saturday, said he hoped all parties in the civil war would abide by any truce.

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it has offered Egypt an aid package of $3 billion, just days after it hailed the ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi by the Egyptian army.

The package includes a grant of $1 billion and a $2 billion interest-free deposit in Egypt's central bank, WAM state news agency said.