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| Abbas breaks contact with Israel | Abbas breaks contact with Israel |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has suspended contact with Israel in protest at an assault on Gaza which has killed about 100 people, an aide says. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has suspended contact with Israel in protest at an assault on Gaza which has killed about 100 people, an aide says. |
| The suspension came amid demonstrations in Gaza and fresh clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank. | The suspension came amid demonstrations in Gaza and fresh clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank. |
| Israeli PM Ehud Olmert vowed to carry on the assault, which came in response to militant rocket attacks on Israel. | Israeli PM Ehud Olmert vowed to carry on the assault, which came in response to militant rocket attacks on Israel. |
| The violence intensified on Saturday, when nearly 70 people were killed in one of Gaza's bloodiest days in years. | The violence intensified on Saturday, when nearly 70 people were killed in one of Gaza's bloodiest days in years. |
| The dead included at least 13 Palestinians civilians and two Israeli soldiers. | |
| The negotiations are suspended, because in light of the Israeli aggression such communication has no meaning Mahmoud Abbas In pictures: Mid-East clashesGazan anger and defiance Egypt said it had opened its border crossing with Gaza and was letting critically injured Palestinians across to get medical attention. | The negotiations are suspended, because in light of the Israeli aggression such communication has no meaning Mahmoud Abbas In pictures: Mid-East clashesGazan anger and defiance Egypt said it had opened its border crossing with Gaza and was letting critically injured Palestinians across to get medical attention. |
| Reports say at least 100 people will be allowed in. | Reports say at least 100 people will be allowed in. |
| The fighting has drawn international calls for restraint, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the US urging both sides to halt the violence. | The fighting has drawn international calls for restraint, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the US urging both sides to halt the violence. |
| But Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said his country needed to prepare for an escalation of its air and ground operations in Gaza. | But Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said his country needed to prepare for an escalation of its air and ground operations in Gaza. |
| 'Pointless' talks | 'Pointless' talks |
| Rocket attacks on Israel have continued despite the assault on Gaza. | Rocket attacks on Israel have continued despite the assault on Gaza. |
| Uri Bar Lev, police chief in southern Israel, told the BBC that the border town of Sderot had been targeted by 15 rockets on Sunday. | Uri Bar Lev, police chief in southern Israel, told the BBC that the border town of Sderot had been targeted by 15 rockets on Sunday. |
| He added that about 50 rockets were falling on the town each day. One Israeli died in an attack earlier this week. | He added that about 50 rockets were falling on the town each day. One Israeli died in an attack earlier this week. |
| Palestinian rockets have reached as far as the Israeli town Ashkelon, 16km (10 miles) from the Gaza Strip. | Palestinian rockets have reached as far as the Israeli town Ashkelon, 16km (10 miles) from the Gaza Strip. |
| Mr Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, blamed Israel for the suspension of talks on all levels. | Mr Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, blamed Israel for the suspension of talks on all levels. |
| "In light of the Israeli aggression such communication has no meaning," he said. | "In light of the Israeli aggression such communication has no meaning," he said. |
| A spokesman for Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Arye Mekel, told Reuters news agency the Palestinian decision was a mistake, and expressed hope that negotiations would resume. | A spokesman for Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Arye Mekel, told Reuters news agency the Palestinian decision was a mistake, and expressed hope that negotiations would resume. |
| Mr Abbas restarted the talks after a conference in November in the US city of Annapolis. | Mr Abbas restarted the talks after a conference in November in the US city of Annapolis. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to visit the region in a few days. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to visit the region in a few days. |
| West Bank clashes | West Bank clashes |
| Fighting continued in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, with Israeli troops operating in the northern town of Jabaliya for a second day and planes carrying out more raids in the area. | Fighting continued in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, with Israeli troops operating in the northern town of Jabaliya for a second day and planes carrying out more raids in the area. |
| Early in the day, the offices of Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza City, were destroyed in an air attack. | Early in the day, the offices of Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza City, were destroyed in an air attack. |
| A total of 10 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in Sunday's violence. | A total of 10 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in Sunday's violence. |
| Officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross described the health situation as "extremely fragile". | Officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross described the health situation as "extremely fragile". |
| They say hospitals, particularly in northern Gaza, are under immense strain, and surgeons have been working around the clock. | They say hospitals, particularly in northern Gaza, are under immense strain, and surgeons have been working around the clock. |
| There have also been clashes in the West Bank. | There have also been clashes in the West Bank. |
| A Palestinian teenager was killed in Hebron as troops responded to stone-throwing youths with rubber bullets and tear gas. | A Palestinian teenager was killed in Hebron as troops responded to stone-throwing youths with rubber bullets and tear gas. |
| Other protests were held in Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, AFP news agency reported. | Other protests were held in Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, AFP news agency reported. |