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| Miliband: A dark moment in Gaza | Miliband: A dark moment in Gaza |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Israeli air raids on Gaza come at a "very dark moment" in the Middle East peace process, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has told the BBC. | Israeli air raids on Gaza come at a "very dark moment" in the Middle East peace process, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has told the BBC. |
| He said events threatened to derail attempts to build a "comprehensive peace" and to fuel radicalism. | |
| Calling for an urgent ceasefire, he said a "terrible price" was being paid for faltering peace negotiations. | Calling for an urgent ceasefire, he said a "terrible price" was being paid for faltering peace negotiations. |
| There are expectations Israel may launch a ground invasion in Gaza, as it continues a third day of air strikes. | There are expectations Israel may launch a ground invasion in Gaza, as it continues a third day of air strikes. |
| The UN says about 100 rockets or mortars have been fired into Israel following the attacks which began on Saturday. | The UN says about 100 rockets or mortars have been fired into Israel following the attacks which began on Saturday. |
| They came less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas - the militant movement which controls Gaza. | They came less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas - the militant movement which controls Gaza. |
| 'Very dangerous' | 'Very dangerous' |
| Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was concerned about the impact on the chances for achieving a peace agreement and the danger the raids would radicalise more people. | Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was concerned about the impact on the chances for achieving a peace agreement and the danger the raids would radicalise more people. |
| "I think this is very dangerous and a very dark moment," he said. | "I think this is very dangerous and a very dark moment," he said. |
| "We are now paying a terrible price for the slow and faltering pace of negotiations not just over the last year, probably not just over the last 15 years - and it is the fundamental need for a comprehensive settlement that is the only way to resolve this in the interests of the Palestinians or the Israelis." | "We are now paying a terrible price for the slow and faltering pace of negotiations not just over the last year, probably not just over the last 15 years - and it is the fundamental need for a comprehensive settlement that is the only way to resolve this in the interests of the Palestinians or the Israelis." |
| He said any "innocent loss of life" was "unacceptable" and continued calls for a ceasefire. | He said any "innocent loss of life" was "unacceptable" and continued calls for a ceasefire. |
| He said while some people in Gaza were "sick" of Hamas, there were plenty of Palestinians prepared to believe they had to fight "an eye for an eye". | He said while some people in Gaza were "sick" of Hamas, there were plenty of Palestinians prepared to believe they had to fight "an eye for an eye". |
| The authority of Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas had to be reinforced, he added. | The authority of Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas had to be reinforced, he added. |
| "Everyone wants both sides to stop and everyone wants those with influence to use that influence to put a stop to this," he said, adding the dangers for both Palestinians and Israelis were "very, very large". | "Everyone wants both sides to stop and everyone wants those with influence to use that influence to put a stop to this," he said, adding the dangers for both Palestinians and Israelis were "very, very large". |
| Palestinian medics say 300 people have so far been killed and nearly 1,000 injured. Two Israelis have died in militant rocket fire and several injured by missiles fired from Gaza. | Palestinian medics say 300 people have so far been killed and nearly 1,000 injured. Two Israelis have died in militant rocket fire and several injured by missiles fired from Gaza. |
| Israel says the aim of the strikes is to stop rockets and missiles being launched on the southern part of Israel. | Israel says the aim of the strikes is to stop rockets and missiles being launched on the southern part of Israel. |
| The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, while its leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, called the Israeli attacks an "ugly massacre". | The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, while its leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, called the Israeli attacks an "ugly massacre". |