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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Israel vows no let-up over Gaza | Israel vows no let-up over Gaza |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said Palestinian militant group Hamas had sustained a "hard blow", but the offensive in Gaza would continue. | Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said Palestinian militant group Hamas had sustained a "hard blow", but the offensive in Gaza would continue. |
| "We still haven't reached our objectives," Mr Barak told Israeli MPs. | "We still haven't reached our objectives," Mr Barak told Israeli MPs. |
| Israel carried out 30 air strikes overnight, with heavy clashes reported east of Gaza City. Palestinian sources say a family of seven were killed. | Israel carried out 30 air strikes overnight, with heavy clashes reported east of Gaza City. Palestinian sources say a family of seven were killed. |
| A top Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud Zahhar, said the Islamists were heading for "victory" against Israel. | A top Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud Zahhar, said the Islamists were heading for "victory" against Israel. |
| Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to try to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, with separate missions to the Middle East being led by the French president, and a high-level EU team. | Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to try to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, with separate missions to the Middle East being led by the French president, and a high-level EU team. |
| Analysis: Israeli pride at a costIn pictures: Gaza ground offensiveMap: Gaza incursion - Week TwoGaza voices: Living with conflict Palestinian medical sources say the death toll stands at more than 500, with some 2,500 people wounded. These figures cannot be independently verified. | Analysis: Israeli pride at a costIn pictures: Gaza ground offensiveMap: Gaza incursion - Week TwoGaza voices: Living with conflict Palestinian medical sources say the death toll stands at more than 500, with some 2,500 people wounded. These figures cannot be independently verified. |
| Five Israelis have been killed in Palestinian militant rocket attacks since the start of the Israeli incursion, which is now in its 10th day. | Five Israelis have been killed in Palestinian militant rocket attacks since the start of the Israeli incursion, which is now in its 10th day. |
| Ehud Barak said the offensive would continue until "peace and tranquility" was secured for Israeli civilians. | Ehud Barak said the offensive would continue until "peace and tranquility" was secured for Israeli civilians. |
| "The fundamental objective is to change the reality of security for the south," Mr Barak said, referring to Israeli towns that have come under Palestinian rocket attack from Gaza. | "The fundamental objective is to change the reality of security for the south," Mr Barak said, referring to Israeli towns that have come under Palestinian rocket attack from Gaza. |
| Mr Zahhar praised Hamas fighters and urged them to "crush your enemy", in a speech aired on Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV. | Mr Zahhar praised Hamas fighters and urged them to "crush your enemy", in a speech aired on Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV. |
| He also hinted that Palestinian militants would try to target more Israeli civilians, saying Israelis had "legitimised the killing of their people all over the world when they killed our people". | He also hinted that Palestinian militants would try to target more Israeli civilians, saying Israelis had "legitimised the killing of their people all over the world when they killed our people". |
| Shuttle diplomacy | Shuttle diplomacy |
| Diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip are moving into high gear. | Diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip are moving into high gear. |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be shuttling across the Middle East, taking in Egypt - which mediated a recent six-month truce between Hamas and Israel - as well as Jerusalem, the Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah and Syria. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be shuttling across the Middle East, taking in Egypt - which mediated a recent six-month truce between Hamas and Israel - as well as Jerusalem, the Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah and Syria. |
| Decision of arms not diplomacyBrown urges end to Gaza violenceAid worker diary: Part eightHamas set for bitter battle Mr Sarkozy's Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, is part of an EU delegation, which has met Egyptian President Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al Sheikh. | Decision of arms not diplomacyBrown urges end to Gaza violenceAid worker diary: Part eightHamas set for bitter battle Mr Sarkozy's Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, is part of an EU delegation, which has met Egyptian President Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al Sheikh. |
| Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that Egypt could play a vital role in easing the conflict in Gaza. | Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that Egypt could play a vital role in easing the conflict in Gaza. |
| "We would like very much to obtain a ceasefire - the sooner the better... The co-operation with Egypt is going to be fundamental." | "We would like very much to obtain a ceasefire - the sooner the better... The co-operation with Egypt is going to be fundamental." |
| 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. |
| She said: "We know fuel, food, water, wheat - all that is missing. We want the hospitals to work, and indeed, for that we know that politically to get a ceasefire as quickly as possible." | She said: "We know fuel, food, water, wheat - all that is missing. We want the hospitals to work, and indeed, for that we know that politically to get a ceasefire as quickly as possible." |
| Israel has said it will allow more aid into Gaza later, and that 80 trucks would cross from Israel carrying food and medicines. | Israel has said it will allow more aid into Gaza later, and that 80 trucks would cross from Israel carrying food and medicines. |
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