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Israel 'set for ceasefire vote' Israel poised for ceasefire vote
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli ministers are set to vote on a unilateral ceasefire proposal at the weekend, Israeli officials say, amid signs of diplomatic movement on Gaza. Israeli ministers are due to vote on a unilateral ceasefire proposal, amid signs of diplomatic movement on the three-week conflict in Gaza.
The meeting, said to be scheduled for Saturday, comes amid increasing signs of progress on the diplomatic front. Israel and the US have signed a deal to halt the smuggling of arms into Gaza - a key Israeli demand.
Earlier Israel and the US signed a deal to halt the smuggling of arms into Gaza - a key Israeli demand.
High-level talks were held in Cairo and Washington as Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza continued for a 21st day.High-level talks were held in Cairo and Washington as Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza continued for a 21st day.
The BBC's Christian Fraser, who finally got into the Gaza Strip from Egypt for the first time on Friday, says the situation for Palestinian families in Rafah is tough. A BBC correspondent who managed to enter southern Gaza saw evidence of much collateral damage from bombing.
Our correspondent says that while there have been targeted Israeli strikes in the town, there is much collateral damage as well, with a housing block and a playground among the sites affected. Christian Fraser, who finally got into the Strip from Egypt for the first time on Friday, says the situation for Palestinian families there is tough, with food and electricity supplies limited and no running water.
Israel has been bombing heavily along the border area, with the aim of destroying tunnels running beneath the border between Gaza and Egypt. In another development, Western diplomats say a pact underpinning any truce may be signed in Cairo this weekend between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Conditions for Palestinian families seeking refuge in a UN-run school in Rafah are very difficult, our correspondent says. Food and electricity supplies are limited and there is no running water. Movement towards a negotiated solution has been slow but there are signs that significant progress has been made during the past 24 hours, the BBC's Adam Mynott reports.
'Vital component' Since Israel launched its offensive on 27 December to end rocket attacks against its people, nearly 1,170 people are thought to have been killed.
Israeli military officials said 40 overnight air strikes on Gaza targeted smuggling tunnels, rocket launching points, weapons stores and a militants' training camp. Hamas talks
The bodies of 23 people were later recovered in the Tel al-Hawa district of Gaza City, medics said. The Israeli prime minister's office said that as a result of "significant progress" at talks between Israeli officials and Egypt's intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, a draft unilateral ceasefire would be discussed by Mr Olmert and his Defence Minister, Ehud Barak.
It is incumbent upon us in the international community to prevent the rearmament of Hamas so that a ceasefire will be durable and fully respected Condoleezza RiceUS Secretary of State BBC reporter reaches RafahBowen diary: Truce hopesIn pictures: Ongoing Gaza assaultVoices from Gaza City Despite all the destruction in Gaza, I assure you we will not accept Israel's conditions for a ceasefire Khaled Meshaal leading Hamas figure BBC reporter reaches RafahBowen diary: Truce hopesIn pictures: Ongoing Gaza assaultVoices from Gaza City
Militants also continue to fire rockets from Gaza into Israel. About 10 were launched on Friday but caused no injuries, the Israeli army said. "Following the discussion, the cabinet for national security will be convened on Saturday evening to decide whether it should be adopted," it added.
Asked on Israel's Channel 10 TV station if the country would act unilaterally to end the conflict, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said it was down to the security cabinet to make that decision. Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in Washington that Israel would have to suspend any ceasefire if Hamas continued to fire rockets.
Israel would have to resume its offensive if Hamas continued to fire rockets, she said. Signing the deal on preventing arms-smuggling, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she hoped it would ensure Gaza could "never again be used as a launch pad" for attacks on Israel.
Speaking at the signing of the deal on arms smuggling with Israel, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she hoped it would ensure Gaza could "never again be used as a launch pad" for attacks on Israel. Hamas leaders have returned to Cairo for further talks.
The supply of arms to Hamas and other groups in Gaza was a "direct cause of the current hostilities", Ms Rice said. They insist that a ceasefire agreement is built on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza within a week and an immediate end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
"It is therefore incumbent upon us in the international community to prevent the rearmament of Hamas so that a ceasefire will be durable and fully respected," she said, adding that she was also concerned to end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
Ms Livni, in Washington, described the memorandum of understanding as "a vital component for the cessation of hostilities".
'Final act'
Meanwhile, talks have continued in Cairo between Israeli and Egyptian officials on reaching a ceasefire agreement.
Hamas was also invited back to Cairo on Friday for more talks, an official told the al-Jazeera network.
Ban Ki-Moon: 'The fighting must stop'Ban Ki-Moon: 'The fighting must stop'
After meeting Palestinian Authority leaders in the West Bank, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to end the fighting. One Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, has said the group will not accept Israeli conditions for a ceasefire.
"I would like to see an immediate ceasefire," he said, adding that a deal between Israel and Hamas to stop the conflict might be possible within the next few days. "Despite all the destruction in Gaza, I assure you we will not accept Israel's conditions for a ceasefire," he said in Doha, Qatar.
Israel has said any ceasefire must be "durable and sustainable". After meeting Palestinian Authority leaders in the West Bank, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to end the fighting immediately.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said they would not accept Israeli conditions for a ceasefire. New air strikes
Hamas has its own requirements for a ceasefire, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces within a week and the opening of the border crossings. Israeli military officials say 40 air strikes on Gaza on Thursday night targeted smuggling tunnels, rocket launching points, weapons stores and a militants' training camp.
Earlier, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC that Israel wanted a prompt end to the violence.
"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.
Meanwhile, a teenager reportedly died during anti-Israeli protests in the West Bank on Friday.
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 bodies of 23 people were later recovered in the Tel al-Hawa district of Gaza City, medics said.
Militants fired about 10 rockets into Israel on Friday, causing no injuries, the Israeli army said.
Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say at least 1,155 Palestinians have been killed and 5,015 wounded since Israel launched its offensive.
Thirteen Israelis - three of them civilians - have died, while 233 soldiers have been wounded, Israeli officials say.
A teenager reportedly died during anti-Israeli protests in the West Bank on Friday.
He was killed as violence broke out between demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Hebron, reports said. Clashes were also reported at the Qalandya checkpoint.He was killed as violence broke out between demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Hebron, reports said. Clashes were also reported at the Qalandya checkpoint.
The Israeli army had earlier closed all access to the West Bank for the next two days following a call by Hamas for all Palestinians to observe what it called a day of wrath after Friday prayers.
The Palestinian Authority issued a similar call to action to followers of Fatah, a rival Palestinian faction to Hamas.
In Gaza City, tens of thousands of mourners took to the streets for the funeral of a top Hamas leader, Said Siyam, who died when his brother's house was bombed on Thursday.In Gaza City, tens of thousands of mourners took to the streets for the funeral of a top Hamas leader, Said Siyam, who died when his brother's house was bombed on Thursday.
The senior UN official in Gaza, John Ging, meanwhile described as "total nonsense" claims by Israel that militants had fired from a UN compound shelled by Israel on Thursday.
Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say at least 1,155 Palestinians have been killed and 5,015 wounded since Israel launched an operation on 27 December to end rocket attacks against its people.
Thirteen Israelis - three of them civilians - have died, while 233 soldiers have been wounded, the Israeli army says.