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Pressure grows for Gaza ceasefire Gaza pounded amid push for truce
(about 1 hour later)
United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon is heading for talks with Israeli leaders, amid signs of progress in efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel's chief negotiator is to travel to Cairo to discuss an Egyptian ceasefire plan that could end the 20-day-old conflict in the Gaza Strip.
More than 1,000 Gazans and 13 Israelis have reportedly died as Israel's war on Hamas militants enters its 20th day. As an Israeli spokesman talked of diplomatic "momentum", the Palestinian militant group Hamas said the talks had made progress, but did not elaborate.
Hamas officials on Wednesday said they were happy with the broad outlines of an Egyptian peace initiative, but details remained to be worked out. However, intense fighting continued in Gaza, with Israeli troops pushing deeper into Gaza City.
Israel's chief negotiator Amos Gilad is expected in Cairo for talks later. More than 1,000 Gazans and 13 Israelis have reportedly died in the conflict.
In other developments:
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  • Palestinian medics say seven people were killed in two separate air strikes on Gaza City in the early hours of Thursday
  • Israeli military officials say they attacked 70 military targets overnight, including a mosque they say was being used to store weapons
  • A boat carrying medical supplies to Gaza is surrounded by Israeli warships in international waters off Lebanon's southern coast and forced to return to Cyprus, according to charity Free Gaza
  • Palestinian deaths in the Gaza Strip reach 1,028 according to Gaza medical sources. Nearly a third of the dead are said to be children.
Israeli military officials say they attacked 70 military targets overnight, including a mosque they say was being used to store weapons.
Intense diplomacy The BBC's Hamada Abu Qammar in Gaza says the coastal enclave has come under extremely heavy artillery fire from the east, filling the skies with thick smoke.
Mr Ban is meeting regional leaders as part of the most intensive diplomatic efforts yet to end the fighting. class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7802295.stm">Aid diary: Water shortage class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7826849.stm">Bowen diary: Syrian warning class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7823796.stm">Gazan families: Pulling together class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7829067.stm">In pictures: Inching into Gaza He said Israeli tanks seemed to be pushing closer to the heart of Gaza City, close to the UN headquarters, and that there were reports of 21 people killed in fighting since the early hours.
Reports say at least 15 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel since the early morning.
In other developments:
• UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is meeting regional leaders as part of intensive diplomatic efforts to end the fighting
  • The UN's special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, accuses Israel of cruelty in locking civilians in the Gaza war zone without allowing them to escape as refugees
  • A boat carrying medical supplies to Gaza is surrounded by Israeli warships in international waters off Lebanon's southern coast and forced to return to Cyprus, according to charity Free Gaza
  • Palestinian deaths in the Gaza Strip reach 1,028 according to Gaza medical sources. Nearly a third of the dead are said to be children.
'Detailed vision'
Egypt has been leading efforts to broker a ceasefire that could include a peacekeeping force being deployed along its border with Gaza to prevent the smuggling of weapons.Egypt has been leading efforts to broker a ceasefire that could include a peacekeeping force being deployed along its border with Gaza to prevent the smuggling of weapons.
After talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Wednesday, the UN chief said he hoped Egypt's initiative would deliver results.
He said it was intolerable that civilians were bearing the brunt of the conflict.
Egypt and other key Arab players can do some coaxing and arm-twisting with Hamas, says BBC Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi, but there is little pressure they can bring to bear upon Israel: only the US has that sort of influence.
Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil said his movement had presented a "detailed vision" of how to bring about a ceasefire to Egyptian negotiators.Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil said his movement had presented a "detailed vision" of how to bring about a ceasefire to Egyptian negotiators.
Aid diary: Water shortageBowen diary: Syrian warningGazan families: Pulling togetherIn pictures: Inching into Gaza
These details concerned how to ensure border crossings into Gaza could be re-opened under international supervision, he said, and would be presented to Israeli envoys visiting Cairo.These details concerned how to ensure border crossings into Gaza could be re-opened under international supervision, he said, and would be presented to Israeli envoys visiting Cairo.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, has said any ceasefire agreement would have to include a halt to Israeli attacks, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the opening of border crossings to end the blockade of Gaza.Hamas, which controls Gaza, has said any ceasefire agreement would have to include a halt to Israeli attacks, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the opening of border crossings to end the blockade of Gaza.
Israel has said it will not agree to a deal that does not guarantee an end to Hamas's smuggling of weapons across the Egyptian border and the cessation of rocket attacks into southern Israel, our analyst adds.Israel has said it will not agree to a deal that does not guarantee an end to Hamas's smuggling of weapons across the Egyptian border and the cessation of rocket attacks into southern Israel, our analyst adds.
However, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said there was "momentum" to the talks.
"Ultimately we want to see a long-term sustainable quiet in the south, a quiet that's going to be based on the total absence of all hostile fire from Gaza into Israel, and an internationally supported mechanism that will prevent Hamas from re-arming," Mark Regev said.
Egypt and other key Arab players can do some coaxing and arm-twisting with Hamas, says BBC Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi, but there is little pressure they can bring to bear upon Israel: only the US has that sort of influence.
Fuelling extremismFuelling extremism
Israel launched its offensive on the coastal enclave on 27 December and has refused to allow international journalists to enter Gaza, making it impossible to independently confirm casualty figures.Israel launched its offensive on the coastal enclave on 27 December and has refused to allow international journalists to enter Gaza, making it impossible to independently confirm casualty figures.
Syrian president on Gaza conflictSyrian president on Gaza conflict
The offensive has provoked widespread international condemnation at the cost in civilian casualties and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave.The offensive has provoked widespread international condemnation at the cost in civilian casualties and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave.
A BBC correspondent in Egypt who saw children with gunshot wounds said he had been given detailed accounts by Palestinian civilians of how they and their children had been fired at by Israeli soldiers.A BBC correspondent in Egypt who saw children with gunshot wounds said he had been given detailed accounts by Palestinian civilians of how they and their children had been fired at by Israeli soldiers.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said Israel did not deliberately target civilians.An Israeli army spokeswoman said Israel did not deliberately target civilians.
"We don't shoot innocent people, not underhand, not deliberately," Major Avital Leibovich told the BBC. "We only shoot when there is a life-and-death situation or when there is fire opening at us.""We don't shoot innocent people, not underhand, not deliberately," Major Avital Leibovich told the BBC. "We only shoot when there is a life-and-death situation or when there is fire opening at us."
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has warned Israel's campaign was fuelling extremism in the Arab and Muslim world.President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has warned Israel's campaign was fuelling extremism in the Arab and Muslim world.
GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps "The effect of war is more dangerous than war. It is sowing seeds of extremism around the region," Mr Assad said in an exclusive BBC interview.GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps "The effect of war is more dangerous than war. It is sowing seeds of extremism around the region," Mr Assad said in an exclusive BBC interview.
A meeting of countries belonging to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Turkey on Wednesday condemned Israel's military offensive and demanded an immediate ceasefire.A meeting of countries belonging to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Turkey on Wednesday condemned Israel's military offensive and demanded an immediate ceasefire.
Venezuela and Bolivia have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel in a protest against its Gaza offensive.Venezuela and Bolivia have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel in a protest against its Gaza offensive.
Meanwhile, a newly released audiotape said to feature the voice of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden called for a holy war to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.Meanwhile, a newly released audiotape said to feature the voice of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden called for a holy war to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
The authenticity of the tape could not be independently verified.The authenticity of the tape could not be independently verified.