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Brown voices Gaza ceasefire hopes Brown voices Gaza ceasefire hopes
(40 minutes later)
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the crisis in Gaza is the "darkest moment yet for the Middle East". Gordon Brown has said he is hopeful a basis for a truce in Gaza will be found - but called recent events the "darkest moment yet for the Middle East".
But he insisted he was "hopeful" that a basis could be found for an immediate ceasefire and said humanitarian aid must get to Gaza. He said a ceasefire must mean an end to rocket attacks and Israeli troops in Gaza, as well as stopping weapons being smuggled into Gaza by tunnels.
A deal would have to resolve issues of weapons smuggled into Gaza by tunnel, and open borders to Palestinian areas, under foreign supervision, he added. The prime minister said he had put forward proposals which he believed could help achieve a ceasefire.
He spoke after Israeli shelling caused scores of casualties at a Gaza school.He spoke after Israeli shelling caused scores of casualties at a Gaza school.
UN officials said at least 30 people died and 55 were injured.UN officials said at least 30 people died and 55 were injured.
Humanitarian crisis I am hopeful that the basis on which an immediate ceasefire can take place can be found Gordon Brown
Mr Brown said any sustainable ceasefire would have to ensure security for both Israelis and Palestinians.Mr Brown said any sustainable ceasefire would have to ensure security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
"This is a humanitarian crisis. This is the darkest moment yet for the Middle East and it affects the whole of the world," he said."This is a humanitarian crisis. This is the darkest moment yet for the Middle East and it affects the whole of the world," he said.
"It's because of that that we must get humanitarian aid that we are promising in.""It's because of that that we must get humanitarian aid that we are promising in."
He said he had spoken to a number of world leaders and had put forward proposals, which, he believed, could help achieve a ceasefire. He said he had spoken to the leaders of a number of countries - including Egypt and Turkey - and had put forward proposals, which, he believed, could help achieve a ceasefire.
Diplomatic efforts
"I am hopeful that the basis on which an immediate ceasefire can take place can be found," he said."I am hopeful that the basis on which an immediate ceasefire can take place can be found," he said.
But he said there could be no solution without international engagement. But he added: "It is not possible to see a solution to this without some kind of international engagement that will protect the security of the Israeli people and will create the viability for open borders to be given to the Palestinian area in Gaza."
On the 11th day of the Israeli assault, Palestinian medical sources say up to 600 people have been killed. Diplomatic efforts to try to end the violence are continuing. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he had asked his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, to help convince Hamas to co-operate with efforts to end the Israeli offensive.
Some 70 Palestinians and five Israeli soldiers were killed on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to hold talks in New York with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is at the UN with several Arab foreign ministers to lobby for a ceasefire
Palestinian medical sources say up to 600 people have been killed since the Israeli assault began ten days ago ago, in a bid to stop Hamas militants firing rockets into southern Israel.
Three Israeli civilians and one soldier have been killed by rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in that period.
Israel says its offensive is stopping militants firing rockets, but at least five hit southern Israel on Tuesday, with one reaching the town of Gedera, about 40km (25 miles) from Gaza, and injuring a baby.Israel says its offensive is stopping militants firing rockets, but at least five hit southern Israel on Tuesday, with one reaching the town of Gedera, about 40km (25 miles) from Gaza, and injuring a baby.
A number of children were among those who died when Israeli artillery shells landed outside the UN-run school in Gaza, doctors at nearby hospitals said.
An Israeli military spokesman said that, according to initial checks, its soldiers had come under mortar fire from militants inside the school.
"In response, the forces fired a number of mortar rounds into the area," he told the Reuters news agency.