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Gazans gather to foil air strike | Gazans gather to foil air strike |
(30 minutes later) | |
Large numbers of Palestinians have converged on a home in Gaza belonging to a senior member of the ruling Palestinian militant group Hamas. | Large numbers of Palestinians have converged on a home in Gaza belonging to a senior member of the ruling Palestinian militant group Hamas. |
The move follows reports the Israeli air force was about to attack it, but there has been no confirmation of this. | The move follows reports the Israeli air force was about to attack it, but there has been no confirmation of this. |
The Israeli army often orders people in out of their homes ahead of attacks. It says this is to avoid casualties. | The Israeli army often orders people in out of their homes ahead of attacks. It says this is to avoid casualties. |
Similar action on Saturday caused Israel to call off an air strike on the home of another militant leader. | Similar action on Saturday caused Israel to call off an air strike on the home of another militant leader. |
The building is in Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. | The building is in Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. |
'A simple message' | 'A simple message' |
The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the owner of the two-floor house told him that the Israelis had warned him that they planned to attack his home. | The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the owner of the two-floor house told him that the Israelis had warned him that they planned to attack his home. |
FOUR MONTHS OF GAZA DEATHS Total: 247 fatalities155 civilian deaths57 deaths of children996 wounded, including 337 children (34%) Source: Physicians for Human Rights (28 June to 27 Oct) | FOUR MONTHS OF GAZA DEATHS Total: 247 fatalities155 civilian deaths57 deaths of children996 wounded, including 337 children (34%) Source: Physicians for Human Rights (28 June to 27 Oct) |
The air force often telephones a warning 10 minutes before a strike to give the occupants time to escape and keep down casualties, our correspondent says. | The air force often telephones a warning 10 minutes before a strike to give the occupants time to escape and keep down casualties, our correspondent says. |
Mosques in Gaza have been calling on volunteers to assemble to protect the house. | Mosques in Gaza have been calling on volunteers to assemble to protect the house. |
Our correspondent says there is a crowd in the street and young men with Hamas flags are sitting on the roof. | Our correspondent says there is a crowd in the street and young men with Hamas flags are sitting on the roof. |
"I came as a citizen because the danger is not a house of Hamas. The danger is to all the houses, and this is a simple message to strengthen national unity," local Fatah leader Zuhdi Kilani told AP news agency. | "I came as a citizen because the danger is not a house of Hamas. The danger is to all the houses, and this is a simple message to strengthen national unity," local Fatah leader Zuhdi Kilani told AP news agency. |
On Saturday, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging an immediate end to all acts of violence by Israelis and Palestinians. | On Saturday, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging an immediate end to all acts of violence by Israelis and Palestinians. |
Included in this were Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. | Included in this were Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. |
The measure also called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to investigate the Israeli shelling of Beit Hanoun, which resulted in the deaths of 19 Palestinians earlier this month. | The measure also called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to investigate the Israeli shelling of Beit Hanoun, which resulted in the deaths of 19 Palestinians earlier this month. |
Israeli forces have made regular incursions into Gaza and the West Bank following the capture of an Israeli soldier, Cpl Gilad Shalit, in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants on 25 June. | |
About 400 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have been killed in the attacks. | |
Israel says that these raids are an attempt to stop rocket fire into Israel by Palestinian militants. | |
Suspended talks | Suspended talks |
Meanwhile, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says talks on a national unity government have been suspended. A leading Hamas representative has denied this. | Meanwhile, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says talks on a national unity government have been suspended. A leading Hamas representative has denied this. |
There has been a long series of talks between the main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, about forming a unity government, in the hope it would lead to the lifting of Israeli and Western sanctions imposed on the present Hamas-led administration. | There has been a long series of talks between the main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, about forming a unity government, in the hope it would lead to the lifting of Israeli and Western sanctions imposed on the present Hamas-led administration. |
But negotiations have stumbled over whether a new government would explicitly recognise Israel. President Abbas has insisted that it should, and Hamas that it should not. | But negotiations have stumbled over whether a new government would explicitly recognise Israel. President Abbas has insisted that it should, and Hamas that it should not. |
The United States and the European Union regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and have called on it to renounce violence and recognise Israel. | The United States and the European Union regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and have called on it to renounce violence and recognise Israel. |