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Israel braced for Hamas response | Israel braced for Hamas response |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Israel is tightening security ahead of demonstrations called by Palestinian militant group Hamas in protest at Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip. | Israel is tightening security ahead of demonstrations called by Palestinian militant group Hamas in protest at Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip. |
Hamas leaders have urged Palestinians to observe a "day of wrath", after seven days of violence in Gaza. | Hamas leaders have urged Palestinians to observe a "day of wrath", after seven days of violence in Gaza. |
Early on Friday, Israel bombed more targets in Gaza, including a mosque, a day after a senior Hamas leader and his family were killed in an air strike. | |
Palestinian militants have also fired more rockets into Israel, Israel says. | Palestinian militants have also fired more rockets into Israel, Israel says. |
More than 400 people have died in the Israeli bombardment since it began last Saturday. The UN says at least 100 of them were civilians. | |
Four Israelis have been killed by rockets fired into Israel from Gaza, which have hit towns up to 25 miles (40km) from the narrow coastal strip. | |
Both sides have ignored international calls for a ceasefire. | Both sides have ignored international calls for a ceasefire. |
Israel says its air campaign, launched in a bid to prevent militant rocket attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza, has been going according to plan. | |
ROCKET ATTACKS FROM GAZA Since the start of Israel's operations in Gaza, Israeli sources say Palestinian militants have fired the following: 27 December 2008: 61 rockets, 33 mortar shells28 December: 14 rockets, 16 mortar shells 29 December: 57 rockets, 15 mortar shells30 December: 42 rockets, 6 mortar shells31 December: 43 rockets, 25 mortar shells Source: Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Israel | |
However, BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen says a week of bombardment has not been able stop the rocket fire, and Israel now has to decide whether to send in ground troops. | |
Air raids have so far struck sites linked to Hamas, including smuggling tunnels under the border to Egypt, government buildings, security compounds, and homes of members of the organisation. | |
Israel said it attacked some 20 targets in Gaza overnight and in the early hours of Friday. It described the mosque it bombed in Jabaliya as a "terror hub" and said it was used to store weapons. | |
BBC staff in Gaza say at least 10 houses belonging to Hamas members were also hit, as well as a poultry farm and industrial workshop. Medical sources say two people were killed in Jabaliya. | |
Restricted movement | Restricted movement |
In response to Hamas' call for protests, Israeli police have been stationed throughout East Jerusalem. | In response to Hamas' call for protests, Israeli police have been stationed throughout East Jerusalem. |
Movement for Palestinians in the West Bank has been severely restricted. | Movement for Palestinians in the West Bank has been severely restricted. |
Protests have been held across the world. More than 2,000 Australian Muslims gathered in a Sydney park for Friday prayers using a symbolic coffin. Up to five 5,000 gathered in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. | |
Israel says it has completed preparations for a possible ground offensive, and large numbers of troops and tanks are massed on the Gaza border. | Israel says it has completed preparations for a possible ground offensive, and large numbers of troops and tanks are massed on the Gaza border. |
Map: Gaza and Israel violenceAid worker diary: Part fiveObituary: Nizar Rayyan | Map: Gaza and Israel violenceAid worker diary: Part fiveObituary: Nizar Rayyan |
Many Palestinian families have moved away from the border area, and on Friday the Israeli army began allowing foreigners living in Gaza to leave. | Many Palestinian families have moved away from the border area, and on Friday the Israeli army began allowing foreigners living in Gaza to leave. |
Israel is refusing entry to Gaza for international journalists and has declared the area around it a "closed military zone". | Israel is refusing entry to Gaza for international journalists and has declared the area around it a "closed military zone". |
The main UN agency operating in Gaza, Unwra, resumed food deliveries to Gaza on Thursday, but warned of a dire humanitarian situation in the territory. | The main UN agency operating in Gaza, Unwra, resumed food deliveries to Gaza on Thursday, but warned of a dire humanitarian situation in the territory. |
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Thursday there was no need for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds as more lorries containing aid were entering Gaza. | Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Thursday there was no need for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds as more lorries containing aid were entering Gaza. |
Speaking in Paris after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, she said Hamas had used the previous six-month truce, which ended in mid-December, to re-arm. | Speaking in Paris after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, she said Hamas had used the previous six-month truce, which ended in mid-December, to re-arm. |
Hamas has said Israel must stop bombarding Gaza and lift its blockade of the territory before it will consider a ceasefire. | Hamas has said Israel must stop bombarding Gaza and lift its blockade of the territory before it will consider a ceasefire. |
A draft UN resolution put forward by Egypt and Libya failed after the US and UK complained that it made no mention of Hamas rocket attacks against Israel. | A draft UN resolution put forward by Egypt and Libya failed after the US and UK complained that it made no mention of Hamas rocket attacks against Israel. |