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Israel-Gaza: Hamas chiefs targeted as truce efforts stall Israel-Gaza: Biden tells Netanyahu he wants 'path to ceasefire'
(about 2 hours later)
Damage from an Israeli air strike overnight in Gaza CityDamage from an Israeli air strike overnight in Gaza City
Israel says it has targeted the homes of Hamas commanders as deadly fighting with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip enters a 10th day. US President Joe Biden has told Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu he expects a "significant de-escalation" in the Gaza conflict on Wednesday.
Israel said it had tried to kill Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif "several times". Overnight, two militants died in a strike on an apartment. Mr Biden wanted a "path to ceasefire", the White House said.
Fresh barrages of rockets were also fired into Israel and sirens continued to sound on Wednesday morning. The US is a staunch ally of Israel and has so far opposed a joint UN Security Council statement on the conflict.
Ceasefire moves continue behind the scenes but have made little headway. Earlier Mr Netanyahu said the Israeli military was "taking care of objectives", adding "we're not standing with a stopwatch".
The conflict is in its 10th day, with a continuing exchange of rocket fire from Palestinian militants into Israel and Israeli air strikes on Gaza.
On Wednesday, four rockets were also fired from Lebanon into Israel and Israel's military responded by firing artillery shells at "a number of targets in Lebanese territory". It was not immediately clear whether this would prove to be a significant escalation.
Read the latest reports from Gaza and IsraelRead the latest reports from Gaza and Israel
The children who have died in the conflict
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Jerusalem says reports began circulating that a truce - brokered by Egypt - could come into force within days. However, these were quickly denied.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday: "We're not standing with a stopwatch. We are taking care of the operation's objectives."
A Hamas leader said that efforts by mediators were "serious and continuous" but that Palestinian demands had to be met.
The Israel-Palestinian conflict explainedThe Israel-Palestinian conflict explained
The fighting began after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in occupied East Jerusalem that culminated in clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Hamas, which controls Gaza, began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes. The children who have died in the conflict
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted Palestinian rockets throughout the night The Gaza fighting began after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in occupied East Jerusalem that culminated in clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Hamas, which controls Gaza, began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes.
At least 219 people, including almost 100 women and children, have been killed in Gaza so far, according to its health ministry. Israel has said at least 150 militants are among those killed in Gaza. Hamas does not give casualty figures for fighters.At least 219 people, including almost 100 women and children, have been killed in Gaza so far, according to its health ministry. Israel has said at least 150 militants are among those killed in Gaza. Hamas does not give casualty figures for fighters.
In Israel 12 people, including two children, have been killed, its medical service says. Israel says some 3,750 rockets have been fired towards its territory by militants in Gaza.In Israel 12 people, including two children, have been killed, its medical service says. Israel says some 3,750 rockets have been fired towards its territory by militants in Gaza.
Air base targeted Ceasefire moves stall
The rocket attacks and Israeli air strikes continued overnight and into Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden held his fourth call with Mr Netanyahu since the conflict started.
The Israeli military said its fighter jets had attacked military infrastructure and the homes of Hamas commanders in Gaza. A statement released by the White House said: "The president conveyed to the prime minister that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire."
The BBC's Rushdi Abualouf in Gaza says two Palestinian militants were killed in an apartment in a building in central Gaza City as Israeli warplanes carried out more than 70 strikes. Ex-UN rapporteur John Dugard: US is not honest broker in Israel-Gaza conflict
About 50 strikes targeted the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, with attacks on militant groups' training facilities, a Hamas-run security compound, and roads and farms, our correspondent says. The US has called before for a truce but has held up any joint UN statement, saying it would not help with de-escalation.
The Palestinian representative at the UN, Riyad Mansour, called the Security Council's failure to express a unified position "shameful".
The latest bid for a council resolution calling for an end to the violence, launched by France, Egypt and Jordan, failed on Tuesday.
A major foreign policy headache for Biden
What the law says about the fighting
One Israeli military source told Reuters that Israel was assessing whether conditions were right for a truce.
The Ynet news website said that the Israelis were talking with Egyptian mediators. It quoted sources in the Israeli cabinet as saying Israel could achieve its objectives and end the fighting "within days".
A Hamas leader said that efforts by mediators were "serious and continuous" but that Palestinian demands had to be met.
Mr Netanyahu on Wednesday did not appear ready to begin a truce.
He said there were "only two ways that you can deal with" Hamas. "You can either conquer them, and that's always an open possibility, or you can deter them, and we are engaged right now in forceful deterrence, but I have to say we don't rule out anything."
Assassination attempt
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there had been renewed rocket fire from Gaza on Wednesday and that its fighter jets had attacked military infrastructure, including tunnels, and the homes of Hamas commanders.
The BBC's Rushdi Abualouf in Gaza said two Palestinian militants were killed in Gaza City, as dozens of strikes targeted both it and the southern city of Khan Younis.
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted Palestinian rockets throughout the night
Gaza City mother of seven Randa Abu Sultan, 45, told AFP news agency: "My four-year-old son tells me he's scared that if he falls asleep, he'll wake up to find us dead."Gaza City mother of seven Randa Abu Sultan, 45, told AFP news agency: "My four-year-old son tells me he's scared that if he falls asleep, he'll wake up to find us dead."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had again targeted a network of underground tunnels used by militants. IDF spokesman Brig Gen Hidai Zilberman said Israel had tried to assassinate Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces took place in the West Bank on Tuesday Mohammed Deif has survived repeated attempts on his life, including in the last major conflict in 2014. He tends to stay in the background and his whereabouts remain unknown.
IDF spokesman Brig Gen Hidai Zilberman also said: "Throughout the operation we have tried to assassinate Mohammed Deif. We've tried to kill him several times." Sirens sounded across much of south and central Israel on Wednesday.
Mohammed Deif is the head of Hamas's military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and has survived repeated attempts on his life, including in the last major conflict in 2014. He tends to stay in the background and his whereabouts remain unknown. Hamas also targeted an Israeli air base overnight but the IDF said no bases were hit.
Sirens warning of rocket fire sounded overnight in parts of south and central Israel, including the cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod, and continued to sound in some areas on Wednesday morning. Israel defends Gaza strategy as death toll mounts
Hamas said it had launched rockets at the Palmachim air base for a second time overnight. Israel said no military bases had been hit. Why is Gaza blurry on Google Maps?
Two Thai workers died in a rocket strike on a farm in Israel on Tuesday.
Of the 3,750 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip since the fighting began, 550 have fallen short in Gaza, according to the IDF. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system has intercepted about 90% of the rockets that have crossed into Israeli territory, it says.Of the 3,750 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip since the fighting began, 550 have fallen short in Gaza, according to the IDF. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system has intercepted about 90% of the rockets that have crossed into Israeli territory, it says.
Israeli air strikes bombard Gaza Strip
The IDF estimated that at the start of the conflict, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two main groups in Gaza, had an arsenal of about 12,000 rockets or mortars.The IDF estimated that at the start of the conflict, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two main groups in Gaza, had an arsenal of about 12,000 rockets or mortars.
Mr Netanyahu said the Israeli operation had "set Hamas back by many years".Mr Netanyahu said the Israeli operation had "set Hamas back by many years".
On Wednesday, he said that he knew that Hamas would try to declare victory whatever happened but that if it were able to do so it would be "a defeat for us all".
There has also been unrest within Israel and in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Palestinians took part in a general strike on Tuesday. There were clashes in several locations.There has also been unrest within Israel and in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Palestinians took part in a general strike on Tuesday. There were clashes in several locations.
Diplomatic deadlock
In New York on Tuesday, the latest meeting of the UN Security Council again failed to reach agreement.
France, in co-ordination with Egypt and Jordan, filed a resolution calling for an end to the violence, but it was only a draft.
The US, a long-standing ally of Israel, has been blocking attempts to issue a joint statement, saying it would not help with de-escalation, although it has called for a ceasefire.
The Palestinian representative at the UN, Riyad Mansour, called the Security Council's failure to express a unified position "shameful".
One Israeli military source told Reuters that Israel was assessing whether conditions were right for a truce.
The Ynet news website said that the Israelis were talking with the Egyptians. It quoted sources in the Israeli cabinet as saying Israel could achieve its objectives and end the fighting "within days".
UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said the fighting had caused "immense suffering" and "must stop".
"I call on all parties to the hostilities to agree to a humanitarian pause to allow for emergency humanitarian relief distribution," he said.
The party of Turkish President Erdogan rejected US accusations of anti-SemitismThe party of Turkish President Erdogan rejected US accusations of anti-Semitism
Separately on Wednesday, Turkey rejected US accusations that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made anti-Semitic remarks about Israel.Separately on Wednesday, Turkey rejected US accusations that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made anti-Semitic remarks about Israel.
He had accused Israel of "terrorism" against the Palestinians and recently said: "It is in their nature".He had accused Israel of "terrorism" against the Palestinians and recently said: "It is in their nature".
State department spokesman Ned Price said the US found the remarks "reprehensible".State department spokesman Ned Price said the US found the remarks "reprehensible".
Omer Celik, a spokesman for Mr Erdogan's party, said the president had given very strong messages against anti-Semitism, adding: "Accusing our president of anti-Semitism is an illogical and untrue approach. This is a lie."Omer Celik, a spokesman for Mr Erdogan's party, said the president had given very strong messages against anti-Semitism, adding: "Accusing our president of anti-Semitism is an illogical and untrue approach. This is a lie."
Are you in Israel or Gaza and affected by the fighting? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in Israel or Gaza and affected by the fighting? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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