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| Envoys race to halt Gaza carnage | Envoys race to halt Gaza carnage |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to try to secure a ceasefire in Gaza as the Israeli ground assault against Hamas militants rolls on. | Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to try to secure a ceasefire in Gaza as the Israeli ground assault against Hamas militants rolls on. |
| French President Sarkozy is heading to the Middle East to try to persuade Israeli and Arab leaders to agree to a 48-hour humanitarian truce. | French President Sarkozy is heading to the Middle East to try to persuade Israeli and Arab leaders to agree to a 48-hour humanitarian truce. |
| A separate, high-profile EU delegation and a Russian envoy are already there. | A separate, high-profile EU delegation and a Russian envoy are already there. |
| Reports suggest Israel's ground assault on Gaza took a new turn overnight with tanks entering the south of the strip. | Reports suggest Israel's ground assault on Gaza took a new turn overnight with tanks entering the south of the strip. |
| Earlier, Israeli forces took up positions in the north on either side of Gaza City, in effect cutting Gaza into two parts, from the Karni crossing to the Mediterranean Sea. | Earlier, Israeli forces took up positions in the north on either side of Gaza City, in effect cutting Gaza into two parts, from the Karni crossing to the Mediterranean Sea. |
| About 40 tanks were moving towards Khan Younis in the south, reports from Gaza say. | About 40 tanks were moving towards Khan Younis in the south, reports from Gaza say. |
| New air strikes on targets in the strip were also reported overnight. | New air strikes on targets in the strip were also reported overnight. |
| Sunday saw big street protests against Israel's action in major cities of mainly Muslim countries with thousands gathering in Istanbul, Rabat and Beirut. | Sunday saw big street protests against Israel's action in major cities of mainly Muslim countries with thousands gathering in Istanbul, Rabat and Beirut. |
| Shuttle diplomacy | Shuttle diplomacy |
| President Sarkozy will be shuttling across the Middle East, taking in the Egyptian capital Cairo as well as Jerusalem, the Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah and the Syrian capital Damascus. | President Sarkozy will be shuttling across the Middle East, taking in the Egyptian capital Cairo as well as Jerusalem, the Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah and the Syrian capital Damascus. |
| Analysis: Israeli pride at a costIn pictures: Gaza ground offensiveMap: Attacks day by dayGaza voices: Living with conflict | Analysis: Israeli pride at a costIn pictures: Gaza ground offensiveMap: Attacks day by dayGaza voices: Living with conflict |
| In a separate development, a Hamas official said a delegation of the Islamist group would head for talks in Egypt. | In a separate development, a Hamas official said a delegation of the Islamist group would head for talks in Egypt. |
| Mr Sarkozy's Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, is part of a separate EU delegation which has already been in Cairo. | Mr Sarkozy's Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, is part of a separate EU delegation which has already been in Cairo. |
| It is headed by the Czech Foreign Minister, Karel Schwartzenberg, whose country has just taken over the rotating EU presidency from France, and includes EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. | It is headed by the Czech Foreign Minister, Karel Schwartzenberg, whose country has just taken over the rotating EU presidency from France, and includes EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. |
| After talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Mr Schwartzenberg appealed for an end to both Israel's shelling of Gaza and Palestinian militant rocket attacks on Israel. | After talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Mr Schwartzenberg appealed for an end to both Israel's shelling of Gaza and Palestinian militant rocket attacks on Israel. |
| Mr Gheit said a UN Security Council resolution was urgently needed. | Mr Gheit said a UN Security Council resolution was urgently needed. |
| EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said it was vital to get food and medical supplies into Gaza to ensure hospitals were able to function. | EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said it was vital to get food and medical supplies into Gaza to ensure hospitals were able to function. |
| A Russian presidential envoy, Alexander Saltanov, met Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday but failed to persuade her to accept Moscow as a mediator with Hamas. | A Russian presidential envoy, Alexander Saltanov, met Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Sunday but failed to persuade her to accept Moscow as a mediator with Hamas. |
| The BBC's Jonathan Marcus says all this diplomatic activity is unlikely to bring rapid results. | The BBC's Jonathan Marcus says all this diplomatic activity is unlikely to bring rapid results. |
| Israel is going to be unwilling to halt operations before achieving its military goals - whatever these goals may be, he notes. | Israel is going to be unwilling to halt operations before achieving its military goals - whatever these goals may be, he notes. |
| And Hamas is just as unlikely to capitulate as its continuing rocket fire demonstrates, our correspondent adds. | And Hamas is just as unlikely to capitulate as its continuing rocket fire demonstrates, our correspondent adds. |
| Rising death toll | Rising death toll |
| Flashes of explosions could be seen overnight from the northern border of Gaza and the regular sounds of gun and artillery fire could be heard. | Flashes of explosions could be seen overnight from the northern border of Gaza and the regular sounds of gun and artillery fire could be heard. |
| Decision of arms not diplomacyBrown urges end to Gaza violenceAid worker diary: Part eightHamas set for bitter battle | Decision of arms not diplomacyBrown urges end to Gaza violenceAid worker diary: Part eightHamas set for bitter battle |
| Fighting appeared to move away from the northern end of the territory towards more populous areas in the west, correspondents say. | Fighting appeared to move away from the northern end of the territory towards more populous areas in the west, correspondents say. |
| The Palestinian health ministry says 509 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the Israelis began their assault on Gaza more than a week ago. Of these, it says, 70 have died since the ground offensive began on Saturday. | The Palestinian health ministry says 509 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the Israelis began their assault on Gaza more than a week ago. Of these, it says, 70 have died since the ground offensive began on Saturday. |
| Some 2,500 people have reportedly also been wounded. | Some 2,500 people have reportedly also been wounded. |
| The figures could not be independently verified. Israel is refusing to let international journalists into Gaza despite a ruling by its a supreme court to admit a limited number of reporters. | The figures could not be independently verified. Israel is refusing to let international journalists into Gaza despite a ruling by its a supreme court to admit a limited number of reporters. |
| Hamas officials say that 10 of its fighters have so far been killed in the ground offensive while the Israeli military reports one of its soldiers dead and 34 wounded. | Hamas officials say that 10 of its fighters have so far been killed in the ground offensive while the Israeli military reports one of its soldiers dead and 34 wounded. |
| The BBC's Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City says the fighting and Israeli positions have stopped desperately needed medical supplies getting through to hospitals that are struggling to cope with the casualties. | The BBC's Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City says the fighting and Israeli positions have stopped desperately needed medical supplies getting through to hospitals that are struggling to cope with the casualties. |