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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Israel scales back Gaza operation | Israel scales back Gaza operation |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Israeli government has ordered its military to reduce its activities in the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials say. | The Israeli government has ordered its military to reduce its activities in the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials say. |
| The order comes after a sharp drop in rocket fire from militants in the Palestinian territory. | The order comes after a sharp drop in rocket fire from militants in the Palestinian territory. |
| Israeli and Palestinian officials from the Hamas faction, which controls Gaza, said no formal ceasefire had been agreed but that talks were under way. | Israeli and Palestinian officials from the Hamas faction, which controls Gaza, said no formal ceasefire had been agreed but that talks were under way. |
| The lull follows a violent period in which at least 120 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military operations. | The lull follows a violent period in which at least 120 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military operations. |
| Four Israelis were killed by Palestinian rockets or in combat operations. | Four Israelis were killed by Palestinian rockets or in combat operations. |
| Egyptian talks | Egyptian talks |
| Rocket fire into Israel from Gaza dropped from dozens every day a week ago to a few over the weekend. | Rocket fire into Israel from Gaza dropped from dozens every day a week ago to a few over the weekend. |
| A senior Israeli defence ministry official returned on Sunday from talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials, a few days after a similar mission by Hamas officials. | A senior Israeli defence ministry official returned on Sunday from talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials, a few days after a similar mission by Hamas officials. |
| Egypt has stepped up its mediation role in the conflict after violence intensified recently. | Egypt has stepped up its mediation role in the conflict after violence intensified recently. |
| Israel refuses to talk directly to Hamas because the Islamist militant group refuses to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. | |
| Israel's leaders and Hamas politicians have long said that if the other side stops attacking, they will also. |