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| Israel strikes key Hamas offices | Israel strikes key Hamas offices |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Israeli air raids have pounded the Gaza Strip for a third day, hitting key sites linked to militant group Hamas. | |
| Palestinian medics say about 300 people have been killed in the raids. Two Israelis have died in militant rocket fire, the latest in Ashkelon on Monday. | |
| Foreign minister Tzipi Livni said Israel was determined to "change realities" in Gaza, amid expectations it might launch a ground invasion. | |
| The Islamic University and the interior ministry have been the latest targets. | |
| Other centres of Hamas strength, including security compounds, government offices and tunnels into Egypt, have been hit since Israel started its massive bombing on Saturday morning. | |
| As dawn broke on Monday, witnesses said a powerful explosion struck the interior ministry. | As dawn broke on Monday, witnesses said a powerful explosion struck the interior ministry. |
| Earlier, a raid hit a laboratory building at the Islamic University - a centre of support for the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza. Many of its top officials graduated from there. | Earlier, a raid hit a laboratory building at the Islamic University - a centre of support for the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza. Many of its top officials graduated from there. |
| A BBC journalist in Gaza said the university authorities had evacuated the campus as they had been expecting a strike. | A BBC journalist in Gaza said the university authorities had evacuated the campus as they had been expecting a strike. |
| 'Success' | 'Success' |
| Ewa Jasiewicz, an international volunteer with the Free Gaza Movement in Bayt Lahiya in northern Gaza, told the BBC she had seen hospitals desperately overstretched as they struggled with serious casualties. | Ewa Jasiewicz, an international volunteer with the Free Gaza Movement in Bayt Lahiya in northern Gaza, told the BBC she had seen hospitals desperately overstretched as they struggled with serious casualties. |
| Israel has permanent military positions on alert outside Gaza Grief and fear in GazaIn pictures: Gaza under siegeRocket attacks plague Israeli townsIsrael looks for knockout blow "Because Gaza is so densely populated, there is no such thing as a precision strike - you have glass, brick, shrapnel flying into people's homes," she said. | Israel has permanent military positions on alert outside Gaza Grief and fear in GazaIn pictures: Gaza under siegeRocket attacks plague Israeli townsIsrael looks for knockout blow "Because Gaza is so densely populated, there is no such thing as a precision strike - you have glass, brick, shrapnel flying into people's homes," she said. |
| Earlier on Sunday, Israel bombed smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza used by Palestinians to bring food and other supplies from Egypt - including weapons, Israel says - past the Israeli blockade of the territory. | |
| As jets pounded southern Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians tried to storm a fence on the Egypt border, but Egyptian security forces fired shots to prevent them entering. | As jets pounded southern Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians tried to storm a fence on the Egypt border, but Egyptian security forces fired shots to prevent them entering. |
| An Egyptian security official was shot dead and another wounded in the turmoil which followed. | An Egyptian security official was shot dead and another wounded in the turmoil which followed. |
| See a detailed map of the area | See a detailed map of the area |
| At the UN, the Security Council joined international calls for restraint by urging an end to all violence between Israel and Gaza. | At the UN, the Security Council joined international calls for restraint by urging an end to all violence between Israel and Gaza. |
| The US, Israel's strongest ally on the council, said the onus was on Hamas to stop rocket fire. | The US, Israel's strongest ally on the council, said the onus was on Hamas to stop rocket fire. |
| Israel says Palestinian militants have fired more than 110 rockets from the coast territory since Saturday. | Israel says Palestinian militants have fired more than 110 rockets from the coast territory since Saturday. |
| The strikes began on Saturday less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas. | The strikes began on Saturday less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas. |
| Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on the Gaza assault | Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on the Gaza assault |
| Israel has hit all Gaza's main towns, including Gaza City in the north and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. | Israel has hit all Gaza's main towns, including Gaza City in the north and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. |
| More than 210 targets were hit in the first 24 hours of what Israel says could be a lengthy military operation. | More than 210 targets were hit in the first 24 hours of what Israel says could be a lengthy military operation. |
| "We took Hamas by surprise, we targeted Hamas headquarters, so this is the beginning of a successful operation, I hope, but the idea is to change realities on the ground," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the BBC on Sunday. | "We took Hamas by surprise, we targeted Hamas headquarters, so this is the beginning of a successful operation, I hope, but the idea is to change realities on the ground," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the BBC on Sunday. |
| Analysts said Saturday was the single deadliest day in Gaza since Israel's occupation of the territory in 1967, although no independent confirmation is available of the numbers killed. | Analysts said Saturday was the single deadliest day in Gaza since Israel's occupation of the territory in 1967, although no independent confirmation is available of the numbers killed. |
| Border confusion | Border confusion |
| Most of those killed were policemen in the Hamas militant movement, including the police chief, but officials said women and children also died. | Most of those killed were policemen in the Hamas militant movement, including the police chief, but officials said women and children also died. |
| RUN-UP TO GAZA RAIDS Six-month truce between Hamas and Israel brokered by Egypt agreed on 19 JunePalestinian rocket fire and Israeli operations in Gaza reducedViolence resumes on 4 Nov as Israel launches incursion which it says targets Hamas tunnel; Palestinians respond with rocket fireHostilities increase; Israel tightens blockadeTruce expires on 19 Dec; both sides blame each other for its breakdown; rocket fire increasesIsrael launches major air strikes on 27 Dec | RUN-UP TO GAZA RAIDS Six-month truce between Hamas and Israel brokered by Egypt agreed on 19 JunePalestinian rocket fire and Israeli operations in Gaza reducedViolence resumes on 4 Nov as Israel launches incursion which it says targets Hamas tunnel; Palestinians respond with rocket fireHostilities increase; Israel tightens blockadeTruce expires on 19 Dec; both sides blame each other for its breakdown; rocket fire increasesIsrael launches major air strikes on 27 Dec |
| In Israel, one person was killed on Saturday in the town of Netivot, some 20km (12 miles) east of Gaza. | In Israel, one person was killed on Saturday in the town of Netivot, some 20km (12 miles) east of Gaza. |
| On Sunday, rockets landed in Ashdod, Israel's largest southern city - which is 38km (23 miles) away - the deepest strikes inside Israel from Gaza so far, Israeli media said. No injuries were reported. | On Sunday, rockets landed in Ashdod, Israel's largest southern city - which is 38km (23 miles) away - the deepest strikes inside Israel from Gaza so far, Israeli media said. No injuries were reported. |
| A Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli fire in the north of the West Bank during protests against the raids, medics said. | A Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli fire in the north of the West Bank during protests against the raids, medics said. |
| The air raids came days after the truce expired and as Israel prepares for a general election in February. | The air raids came days after the truce expired and as Israel prepares for a general election in February. |
| The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, while the movement's Gaza leader, Ismail Haniya, called the attack an "ugly massacre". | The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, while the movement's Gaza leader, Ismail Haniya, called the attack an "ugly massacre". |
| The Israel-Hamas truce was regularly under strain and was allowed to lapse when it expired this month. | The Israel-Hamas truce was regularly under strain and was allowed to lapse when it expired this month. |
| From 1967 Israel's military occupied the Gaza Strip and Jewish settlers built communities within the territory. Israel withdrew in 2005 but has maintained control of Gaza's borders. | From 1967 Israel's military occupied the Gaza Strip and Jewish settlers built communities within the territory. Israel withdrew in 2005 but has maintained control of Gaza's borders. |
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