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/6164666.stm
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Gazans gather to foil air strike | Gazans gather to foil air strike |
| (about 2 hours 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. |
| 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. |
| Meanwhile, a UN official has toured Beit Hanoun, a town at the centre of a large Israeli army ground operation. | Meanwhile, a UN official has toured Beit Hanoun, a town at the centre of a large Israeli army ground operation. |
| The violations of human rights in the Palestinian territories are intolerable. I think it's clear that civilians are tremendously exposed Louise Arbour | The violations of human rights in the Palestinian territories are intolerable. I think it's clear that civilians are tremendously exposed Louise Arbour |
| Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said she hoped her visit would reassure innocent Palestinian civilians that the "world has not abandoned them". | Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said she hoped her visit would reassure innocent Palestinian civilians that the "world has not abandoned them". |
| In a brief visit to northern Gaza, during which she met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Ms Arbour listened to the accounts of local residents on the Israeli offensive on the town, in which about 80 people were killed. | In a brief visit to northern Gaza, during which she met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Ms Arbour listened to the accounts of local residents on the Israeli offensive on the town, in which about 80 people were killed. |
| "The violations of human rights in the Palestinian territories are intolerable," she said. "I think it's clear that civilians are tremendously exposed." | "The violations of human rights in the Palestinian territories are intolerable," she said. "I think it's clear that civilians are tremendously exposed." |
| 'A simple message' | 'A simple message' |
| The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the owner of the two-floor house in Beit Lahiya 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 in Beit Lahiya told him that the Israelis had warned him that they planned to attack his home. |
| Ms Arbour's visit came days after the UN urged an end to the violence | |
| 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 a crowd gathered in the street and young men with Hamas flags sat on the roof. | Our correspondent says a crowd gathered in the street and young men with Hamas flags sat 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 the Associated Press 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 the Associated Press news agency. |
| 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) | |
| 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. |
| On the same day, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging an immediate end to all acts of violence by Israelis and Palestinians. | On the same day, 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 Authority 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 Authority 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. |