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| Israelis 'push on into Gaza City' | Israelis 'push on into Gaza City' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israeli troops have entered the suburbs of Gaza City and are engaged in street fighting with Palestinian militants, according to reports. | Israeli troops have entered the suburbs of Gaza City and are engaged in street fighting with Palestinian militants, according to reports. |
| Witnesses say Israeli special forces have advanced several hundred metres into several districts and intense gunfire can be heard. | Witnesses say Israeli special forces have advanced several hundred metres into several districts and intense gunfire can be heard. |
| Earlier, Israeli planes attacked more targets in Gaza as its offensive against Hamas entered its 18th day. | Earlier, Israeli planes attacked more targets in Gaza as its offensive against Hamas entered its 18th day. |
| A Gaza rights group has said more than 90,000 people have fled their homes. | A Gaza rights group has said more than 90,000 people have fled their homes. |
| Palestinian medical officials say 952 people have been killed in Gaza - around a third of them children - and more than 4,200 have been injured. | Palestinian medical officials say 952 people have been killed in Gaza - around a third of them children - and more than 4,200 have been injured. |
| Click here to see a graph of mortar and rocket fire during the conflict | Click here to see a graph of mortar and rocket fire during the conflict |
| Thirteen Israelis have died, three of them civilians, Israel says. | Thirteen Israelis have died, three of them civilians, Israel says. |
| Despite the Israeli offensive, militants in Gaza have kept up rocket attacks on southern Israel. | Despite the Israeli offensive, militants in Gaza have kept up rocket attacks on southern Israel. |
| The Israeli army said on Tuesday that 25 mortars and rockets had been fired out of Gaza and that Israeli war planes had carried out more than 50 air strikes since the morning. | The Israeli army said on Tuesday that 25 mortars and rockets had been fired out of Gaza and that Israeli war planes had carried out more than 50 air strikes since the morning. |
| Israel says it will not call off its offensive until it has stopped the rocket attacks and prevented arms being smuggling into Gaza. | Israel says it will not call off its offensive until it has stopped the rocket attacks and prevented arms being smuggling into Gaza. |
| Israel wants to stop militants firing rockets across the Gaza border | Israel wants to stop militants firing rockets across the Gaza border |
| Talat Jad, a resident of the Gaza City suburb of Tel al-Hawa, said he and 15 members of his family had gathered in one room of their house, too frightened to look out of the window. | Talat Jad, a resident of the Gaza City suburb of Tel al-Hawa, said he and 15 members of his family had gathered in one room of their house, too frightened to look out of the window. |
| "We even silenced our mobile phones because we were afraid the soldiers in the tanks could hear them," he said. | "We even silenced our mobile phones because we were afraid the soldiers in the tanks could hear them," he said. |
| "Some of us recited from the Koran and others prayed the sounds of explosions would die down." | "Some of us recited from the Koran and others prayed the sounds of explosions would die down." |
| Diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire are continuing in Cairo, where Egyptian mediators are pressing the Palestinian militant group Hamas - which controls the Gaza Strip - to accept a truce proposal. | |
| Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday where he discussed the Gaza situation with King Abdullah. | |
| The BBC's Magdi Abdelhadi, in Cairo, says the meeting indicates that Egypt is seeking Saudi Arabia's help in persuading Hamas to accept a ceasefire. | |
| Earlier, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said any agreement would have to entail a halt to Israeli attacks, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the opening of border crossings to end the blockade of Gaza. | |
| However, the Israeli foreign ministry said there was no guarantee that Hamas would respect any ceasefire agreement. | |
| Hospital visit | |
| The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross accompanied a convoy of aid into Gaza during a three-hour ceasefire, during which witnesses said there was increased shelling. | The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross accompanied a convoy of aid into Gaza during a three-hour ceasefire, during which witnesses said there was increased shelling. |
| Speaking on a tour of Gaza's main hospital, Jakob Kellenberger said he had been saddened by what he had seen. | Speaking on a tour of Gaza's main hospital, Jakob Kellenberger said he had been saddened by what he had seen. |
| "I wanted to see this hospital and I can only say this is really very sad and it hurts a lot when you see what I've just seen," he said. | "I wanted to see this hospital and I can only say this is really very sad and it hurts a lot when you see what I've just seen," he said. |
| Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the military operation would continue in order to stop Hamas rockets being fired into Israel and to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza. | Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the military operation would continue in order to stop Hamas rockets being fired into Israel and to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza. |
| "We are working towards those two goals while at the same time keeping an eye on the diplomatic initiatives," he said during a tour of an air force base. | "We are working towards those two goals while at the same time keeping an eye on the diplomatic initiatives," he said during a tour of an air force base. |
| Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to "wipe out" his people. | Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to "wipe out" his people. |
| "This is the 18th day of the Israeli aggression against our people, which has become more ferocious each day as the number of victims rises," he said. | "This is the 18th day of the Israeli aggression against our people, which has become more ferocious each day as the number of victims rises," he said. |
| "Israel is keeping up this aggression to wipe out our people over there." Israel generals discuss scope of warGazan families: Pulling togetherIn pictures: Troops enter suburbs | |
| US Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton said in her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that the Obama administration would make "every effort" to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace. | US Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton said in her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that the Obama administration would make "every effort" to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace. |
| She said that the US must support Israel's security needs while at the same time acknowledging Palestinian aspirations. | She said that the US must support Israel's security needs while at the same time acknowledging Palestinian aspirations. |
| "The president-elect and I understand and are deeply sympathetic to Israel's desire to defend itself under the current conditions, and to be free of shelling by Hamas rockets," she said. | "The president-elect and I understand and are deeply sympathetic to Israel's desire to defend itself under the current conditions, and to be free of shelling by Hamas rockets," she said. |
| "However, we have also been reminded of the tragic humanitarian costs of conflict in the Middle East and pained by the suffering of Palestinian and Israeli civilians." | "However, we have also been reminded of the tragic humanitarian costs of conflict in the Middle East and pained by the suffering of Palestinian and Israeli civilians." |
| Human rights group al-Mizan in Gaza said more than 90,000 people had fled their houses during the violence. | Human rights group al-Mizan in Gaza said more than 90,000 people had fled their houses during the violence. |
| About 31,000 of them were staying at UN-run schools in Gaza City, which are full, and in Jabaliya and Shati camps, the group said. The other 60,000 were staying with neighbours and relatives. | About 31,000 of them were staying at UN-run schools in Gaza City, which are full, and in Jabaliya and Shati camps, the group said. The other 60,000 were staying with neighbours and relatives. |
| UN mission | UN mission |
| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is due in the region on Wednesday to push for a truce. | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is due in the region on Wednesday to push for a truce. |
| He has called on Israel and Palestinian militants to halt the fighting in Gaza immediately. | He has called on Israel and Palestinian militants to halt the fighting in Gaza immediately. |
| GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictProfile: Gaza StripQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps Mr Ban said too many people had died and that there had been too much civilian suffering. | GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictProfile: Gaza StripQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps Mr Ban said too many people had died and that there had been too much civilian suffering. |
| "My message is simple, direct and to the point: the fighting must stop," Mr Ban told a news conference in New York ahead of his departure on Tuesday for the Middle East. | "My message is simple, direct and to the point: the fighting must stop," Mr Ban told a news conference in New York ahead of his departure on Tuesday for the Middle East. |
| "In Gaza, the very foundation of society is being destroyed: people's homes, civic infrastructure, public health facilities and schools." | "In Gaza, the very foundation of society is being destroyed: people's homes, civic infrastructure, public health facilities and schools." |
| His diplomatic tour will take in talks with the leaders of Egypt, Israel and Syria, as well as Mr Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah. | His diplomatic tour will take in talks with the leaders of Egypt, Israel and Syria, as well as Mr Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah. |
| However, UN officials say he will not be meeting representatives of Hamas, and it is not clear whether he will go to Gaza itself during his week-long trip. | However, UN officials say he will not be meeting representatives of Hamas, and it is not clear whether he will go to Gaza itself during his week-long trip. |
| Both Hamas and Israel rejected last week's UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. | Both Hamas and Israel rejected last week's UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. |
| Israel is preventing international journalists from entering Gaza, making it impossible independently to confirm casualty figures. | Israel is preventing international journalists from entering Gaza, making it impossible independently to confirm casualty figures. |
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