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| Urgent push for Gaza ceasefire | Urgent push for Gaza ceasefire |
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| Diplomatic activity is intensifying in the Middle East and the US over the terms of a possible ceasefire to halt Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. | Diplomatic activity is intensifying in the Middle East and the US over the terms of a possible ceasefire to halt Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. |
| Israel's envoy is heading back to Egypt and the country's foreign minister is in Washington to discuss the conflict. | Israel's envoy is heading back to Egypt and the country's foreign minister is in Washington to discuss the conflict. |
| Israeli military officials said Israel attacked about 40 targets across Gaza overnight. Casualties at a hospital in Gaza City had to flee because of fire. | Israeli military officials said Israel attacked about 40 targets across Gaza overnight. Casualties at a hospital in Gaza City had to flee because of fire. |
| An Israeli spokesman said he hoped the conflict was in its "final act". | An Israeli spokesman said he hoped the conflict was in its "final act". |
| "The diplomacy now is in high gear... we want this to be over as soon as possible," Mark Regev told the BBC. | "The diplomacy now is in high gear... we want this to be over as soon as possible," Mark Regev told the BBC. |
| "The minute we can be sure that the solution will not be a band aid, that after a few days of quiet we won't have more rockets on Israeli civilians, the minute we can understand that that situation will be a sustained peace, then we're going to go for it." | "The minute we can be sure that the solution will not be a band aid, that after a few days of quiet we won't have more rockets on Israeli civilians, the minute we can understand that that situation will be a sustained peace, then we're going to go for it." |
| Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say at least 1,105 Palestinians have been killed and 5,100 wounded since Israel launched an operation on 27 December to end rocket attacks on its territory. | Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say at least 1,105 Palestinians have been killed and 5,100 wounded since Israel launched an operation on 27 December to end rocket attacks on its territory. |
| Thirteen Israelis - three of them civilians - have died, while 233 soldiers have been wounded, the Israeli army says. | Thirteen Israelis - three of them civilians - have died, while 233 soldiers have been wounded, the Israeli army says. |
| Day of wrath | Day of wrath |
| Israeli ministers had late-night talks on Egypt's latest mediation bid as envoys headed for Cairo and Washington. | Israeli ministers had late-night talks on Egypt's latest mediation bid as envoys headed for Cairo and Washington. |
| Israeli envoy Amos Gilad was returning to Cairo on Friday, having briefed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other officials on his daylong talks with Egyptian officials there. | Israeli envoy Amos Gilad was returning to Cairo on Friday, having briefed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other officials on his daylong talks with Egyptian officials there. |
| Hopefully we're entering the final act Mark RegevIsraeli government spokesman | |
| Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has gone to Washington for talks. These are meant to formalise an agreement with the US to help prevent Hamas smuggling in arms, a key Israeli demand for ending its three-week assault on Gaza. | Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has gone to Washington for talks. These are meant to formalise an agreement with the US to help prevent Hamas smuggling in arms, a key Israeli demand for ending its three-week assault on Gaza. |
| Mr Regev said "decisions will stem" from a full security cabinet meeting after it has been briefed by Mr Gilad and Ms Livni upon their return. | Mr Regev said "decisions will stem" from a full security cabinet meeting after it has been briefed by Mr Gilad and Ms Livni upon their return. |
| Hamas is reported to be offering a year-long truce if Israel withdraws from Gaza and lifts its blockade. | Hamas is reported to be offering a year-long truce if Israel withdraws from Gaza and lifts its blockade. |
| See map of Gaza City and area | See map of Gaza City and area |
| Mussa Abu Marzuk, the Damascus-based deputy head of the militant group's politburo, said the offer was made by a Hamas delegation to Egyptian authorities during talks in Cairo. | Mussa Abu Marzuk, the Damascus-based deputy head of the militant group's politburo, said the offer was made by a Hamas delegation to Egyptian authorities during talks in Cairo. |
| One diplomat said that there is now "feverish telephone tag", in an attempt to reach agreement on a ceasefire, the BBC's Tim Franks reports from Jerusalem. | One diplomat said that there is now "feverish telephone tag", in an attempt to reach agreement on a ceasefire, the BBC's Tim Franks reports from Jerusalem. |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is optimistic about a ceasefire deal being reached, but added that it might take a few days yet. | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is optimistic about a ceasefire deal being reached, but added that it might take a few days yet. |
| Patients flee fire | Patients flee fire |
| Israeli military officials said the overnight attacks targeted smuggling tunnels, launching points, weaponry storages, two Hamas stations and a militants' training camp. | Israeli military officials said the overnight attacks targeted smuggling tunnels, launching points, weaponry storages, two Hamas stations and a militants' training camp. |
| A BBC producer in Gaza City, Hamada Abuqammar, reports that Israeli tanks are back in the Tel al-Hawa area to the south of the city. | A BBC producer in Gaza City, Hamada Abuqammar, reports that Israeli tanks are back in the Tel al-Hawa area to the south of the city. |
| He reports shelling and gunfire, but the clashes appear to be less intense than on Thursday. | He reports shelling and gunfire, but the clashes appear to be less intense than on Thursday. |
| GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps | GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps |
| The Israeli army has closed all access to the West Bank for the next two days following a call by Hamas for Palestinians to observe what it called a day of wrath, by staging anti-Israeli protests at Friday prayers. | The Israeli army has closed all access to the West Bank for the next two days following a call by Hamas for Palestinians to observe what it called a day of wrath, by staging anti-Israeli protests at Friday prayers. |
| There has been a similar call by the Palestinian Authority to the followers of the rival Palestinian faction, Fatah. | There has been a similar call by the Palestinian Authority to the followers of the rival Palestinian faction, Fatah. |
| Hundreds of people, including sick and wounded patients on stretchers and wheelchairs, fled the Quds hospital overnight on Thursday. | Hundreds of people, including sick and wounded patients on stretchers and wheelchairs, fled the Quds hospital overnight on Thursday. |
| A fire broke out after it had been hit by a tank shell earlier in the day. An AFP reporter on the scene reported panic and chaos as patients were evacuated from the hospital into the cold night amid gunfire. | A fire broke out after it had been hit by a tank shell earlier in the day. An AFP reporter on the scene reported panic and chaos as patients were evacuated from the hospital into the cold night amid gunfire. |
| Israeli troops and tanks moved closer to the heart of Gaza City on Thursday, engaging in fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters. | Israeli troops and tanks moved closer to the heart of Gaza City on Thursday, engaging in fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters. |
| Israeli shells set alight part of the local headquarters of the UN relief agency Unrwa. | Israeli shells set alight part of the local headquarters of the UN relief agency Unrwa. |
| Mr Olmert apologised but said troops had been responding to shots from gunmen at the compound. | Mr Olmert apologised but said troops had been responding to shots from gunmen at the compound. |
| Also on Thursday, an Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed one of the Strip's top Hamas leaders, Said Siyam. | Also on Thursday, an Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed one of the Strip's top Hamas leaders, Said Siyam. |
| Siyam, who controlled thousands of Hamas security troops in Gaza, died along with his son, brother and two other Hamas officials when his brother's house was bombed. | Siyam, who controlled thousands of Hamas security troops in Gaza, died along with his son, brother and two other Hamas officials when his brother's house was bombed. |
| Thousands of Gazans are expected to turn out for his funeral on Friday. | |
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