This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7262089.stm
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel steps up border security | Israel steps up border security |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Israel's military has strengthened positions along its frontier with Gaza ahead of a demonstration against the months-long blockade of the territory. | |
| Three Hamas fighters were killed by Israeli air strikes near Gaza's border on Sunday, the group said. | |
| Tens of thousands of Gazan women and children are expected to form a human chain stretching the length of the coastal enclave in Monday's protest. | Tens of thousands of Gazan women and children are expected to form a human chain stretching the length of the coastal enclave in Monday's protest. |
| Protest organisers say they have no intention of breaching the border. | Protest organisers say they have no intention of breaching the border. |
| Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported there are fears of casualties if the troops try to halt the demonstration. | |
| "Israel will not intervene in demonstrations inside the Gaza Strip but it will ensure the defence of its territory and prevent any violation of its sovereign borders," said a joint statement released by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. | "Israel will not intervene in demonstrations inside the Gaza Strip but it will ensure the defence of its territory and prevent any violation of its sovereign borders," said a joint statement released by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. |
| "Israel will work to avoid a deterioration of the situation but declares unequivocally that Hamas must assume full responsibility if that happens," said the statement. | "Israel will work to avoid a deterioration of the situation but declares unequivocally that Hamas must assume full responsibility if that happens," said the statement. |
| Day off school | Day off school |
| Monday's demonstration has been organised by the Popular Anti-Siege Committee, a pro-Hamas group. | Monday's demonstration has been organised by the Popular Anti-Siege Committee, a pro-Hamas group. |
| Organisers hope the chain will stretch along the border Crisis key to Gaza futureIsrael torn over Gaza roleSend us your comments | Organisers hope the chain will stretch along the border Crisis key to Gaza futureIsrael torn over Gaza roleSend us your comments |
| "We do not have intentions of approaching the fence, either in the north or the south," said protest organiser Jamal Khudary. | "We do not have intentions of approaching the fence, either in the north or the south," said protest organiser Jamal Khudary. |
| "We hope all the participants will abide by the instructions and we will try to prevent any violations." | "We hope all the participants will abide by the instructions and we will try to prevent any violations." |
| Hamas has said it backs the demonstration but did not organise it. | Hamas has said it backs the demonstration but did not organise it. |
| Hamas-controlled schools across the coastal enclave have given pupils time off to take part in the human chain protest. | Hamas-controlled schools across the coastal enclave have given pupils time off to take part in the human chain protest. |
| An Israeli security source said the army was preparing for "all scenarios", Reuters reported. | An Israeli security source said the army was preparing for "all scenarios", Reuters reported. |
| "Obviously, if gunmen start shooting at the fence we will have to respond in kind and we are absolutely unwilling to countenance a situation where the fence is breached like it was at Rafah," Reuters reported the source as saying. | "Obviously, if gunmen start shooting at the fence we will have to respond in kind and we are absolutely unwilling to countenance a situation where the fence is breached like it was at Rafah," Reuters reported the source as saying. |
| Last month, thousands of Gazans crossed the border into Egypt at Rafah, after militants blew holes in the frontier fence. | Last month, thousands of Gazans crossed the border into Egypt at Rafah, after militants blew holes in the frontier fence. |
| Smuggling tunnels | Smuggling tunnels |
| In Sunday's airstrikes, two Hamas fighters were killed near the Israeli border in Khan Younes, and another died in northern Gaza, the group said. | |
| Israeli forces also detained 40 Palestinians and said they had discovered five smuggling tunnels along the territory's frontier. | |
| Israel fears similar scenes to those after the Egyptian border breach | Israel fears similar scenes to those after the Egyptian border breach |
| Israeli authorities fear a repetition of scenes from last month, when the fence separating Gaza from Egypt was demolished by Palestinian militants in several places near the Rafah crossing point. | Israeli authorities fear a repetition of scenes from last month, when the fence separating Gaza from Egypt was demolished by Palestinian militants in several places near the Rafah crossing point. |
| Hundreds of thousands of Gazans poured through the breaches to buy essential goods before the border was resealed several days later. | Hundreds of thousands of Gazans poured through the breaches to buy essential goods before the border was resealed several days later. |
| Hamas officials have since raised the possibility of similar breaches along the border with Israel. | Hamas officials have since raised the possibility of similar breaches along the border with Israel. |
| Israel's blockade of Gaza was imposed after the Islamist Hamas party routed secular Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas last June and seized control of the Gaza Strip. | Israel's blockade of Gaza was imposed after the Islamist Hamas party routed secular Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas last June and seized control of the Gaza Strip. |
| Israel said the siege, which has prevented the flow of everything but essential humanitarian supplies, was in response to cross-border rocket attacks by militants in Gaza. | Israel said the siege, which has prevented the flow of everything but essential humanitarian supplies, was in response to cross-border rocket attacks by militants in Gaza. |
| But Palestinians and several international agencies have said the sanctions amount to collective punishment of Gaza's 1.5 million civilians. | But Palestinians and several international agencies have said the sanctions amount to collective punishment of Gaza's 1.5 million civilians. |