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Urgent push for Gaza ceasefire Urgent push for Gaza ceasefire
(about 1 hour later)
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 over a possible ceasefire to end 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. An Israeli government spokesman said he hoped the conflict was "entering its final act" as talks were being held in Egypt and Washington.
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. Israel attacked 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". Thousands of Gazans are expected to turn out for the funeral of a top Hamas leader who was killed on Thursday.
"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."
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.
Day of wrath
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.
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.
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. Said 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 in Gaza City was bombed.
See map of Gaza City and areaSee 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. 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.
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. There has been a similar call by the Palestinian Authority to the followers of the rival Palestinian faction, Fatah.
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. Meeting Palestinian officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel to declare a unilateral ceasefire.
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.
Patients flee firePatients 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. The diplomacy now is in high gear. Hopefully we're entering the final act Mark RegevIsraeli government spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7830302.stm">Gaza's medical crisis class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7830482.stm">Voices from Gaza City class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7831757.stm">Bowen diary: Damascus to Jerusalem
He reports shelling and gunfire, but the clashes appear to be less intense than on Thursday. A BBC producer in Gaza City, Hamada Abuqammar, said the whole area was under fire from Israeli artillery.
He said the Quds hospital was now empty, after it had to be evacuated overnight because of a fire caused by a tank shell on Thursday.
The evacuees included sick and wounded patients on stretchers and wheelchairs.
On Thursday, the local headquarters of the UN relief agency Unrwa was set on fire by Israeli shells. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologised, but said troops were responding to shots from gunmen at the compound.
Meanwhile, rockets continue to be fired from Gaza into Israel. Three landed in the western Negev, causing structural damage to buildings but no injuries.
Truce offer
Israeli ministers had late-night talks on Egypt's latest mediation bid.
GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in mapsGAZA 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. 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.
There has been a similar call by the Palestinian Authority to the followers of the rival Palestinian faction, Fatah. Israeli envoy Amos Gilad returned to Cairo on Friday, having briefed Mr Olmert and other officials overnight on his previous day's talks with Egyptian officials.
Hundreds of people, including sick and wounded patients on stretchers and wheelchairs, fled the Quds hospital overnight on Thursday. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has gone to Washington for talks, aimed at formalising an agreement with the US to help prevent Hamas smuggling in arms, a key Israeli demand for ending its three-week assault on Gaza.
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 government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC that Israel wanted a prompt end to the violence.
Israeli troops and tanks moved closer to the heart of Gaza City on Thursday, engaging in fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters. "The diplomacy now is in high gear. Hopefully we're entering the final act. We want this to be over as soon as possible," he said.
Israeli shells set alight part of the local headquarters of the UN relief agency Unrwa. "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."
Mr Olmert apologised but said troops had been responding to shots from gunmen at the compound. Hamas is reported to be offering a year-long truce if Israel withdraws from Gaza and lifts its blockade.
Also on Thursday, an Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed one of the Strip's top Hamas leaders, Said Siyam. 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.
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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