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| Gaza pounded despite truce talks with Israel in Cairo | Gaza pounded despite truce talks with Israel in Cairo |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gaza has come under renewed bombardment from Israel, as agreement on a ceasefire to end a week of violence remains elusive. | Gaza has come under renewed bombardment from Israel, as agreement on a ceasefire to end a week of violence remains elusive. |
| At least 20 Palestinians were reported to have been killed on Tuesday. Two Israelis - a soldier and a civilian - were killed in rocket strikes. | At least 20 Palestinians were reported to have been killed on Tuesday. Two Israelis - a soldier and a civilian - were killed in rocket strikes. |
| Earlier, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said a ceasefire would shortly be announced at talks in Cairo. | Earlier, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said a ceasefire would shortly be announced at talks in Cairo. |
| But Israeli spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC a deal was not yet done. | But Israeli spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC a deal was not yet done. |
| "I have no doubt that Hamas would be more than happy to have a temporary respite - a time out... so they could rest and re-arm and we would have missiles on Israel next week or next month. We are not interested in that," he said. | "I have no doubt that Hamas would be more than happy to have a temporary respite - a time out... so they could rest and re-arm and we would have missiles on Israel next week or next month. We are not interested in that," he said. |
| Late on Tuesday, a senior Hamas official, Izzat Risheq, said a deal might not be reached until the morning. | Late on Tuesday, a senior Hamas official, Izzat Risheq, said a deal might not be reached until the morning. |
| The Israeli military said its renewed artillery fire had targeted "two terror operatives" in the central Gaza Strip. | The Israeli military said its renewed artillery fire had targeted "two terror operatives" in the central Gaza Strip. |
| It had earlier asked residents in villages around Gaza City to move to central areas for their own safety. Those killed in Gaza on Tuesday also included two journalists from a Hamas-linked TV channel. | It had earlier asked residents in villages around Gaza City to move to central areas for their own safety. Those killed in Gaza on Tuesday also included two journalists from a Hamas-linked TV channel. |
| In the early hours of Wednesday, the BBC's Lyse Doucet in Gaza tweeted "very loud explosions - electricity out". | In the early hours of Wednesday, the BBC's Lyse Doucet in Gaza tweeted "very loud explosions - electricity out". |
| The BBC's Rushdi Abualouf, also in Gaza, said eight missiles had destroyed the main complex of a Hamas-run government department in the centre of Gaza City and the shattered building was on fire. He said a large part of Gaza had been blacked out. | |
| A few hours earlier, French news agency AFP said a building in Gaza City housing its office was hit by an Israeli air strike. No staff members were injured. | A few hours earlier, French news agency AFP said a building in Gaza City housing its office was hit by an Israeli air strike. No staff members were injured. |
| The Israeli military later tweeted it had "surgically targeted a Hamas intelligence operations centre" on the seventh floor of a media building. | The Israeli military later tweeted it had "surgically targeted a Hamas intelligence operations centre" on the seventh floor of a media building. |
| Also late on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Israel, in an effort to support peace moves. | Also late on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Israel, in an effort to support peace moves. |
| She said she would work with Israel and Egypt on brokering a truce in Gaza "in the days ahead". | She said she would work with Israel and Egypt on brokering a truce in Gaza "in the days ahead". |
| She added that it was "essential to de-escalate the situation" in Gaza and welcomed Egyptian mediation efforts. | She added that it was "essential to de-escalate the situation" in Gaza and welcomed Egyptian mediation efforts. |
| Mr Netanyahu said Israel would welcome a diplomatic solution but warned that he was ready to take "whatever action" was necessary. | Mr Netanyahu said Israel would welcome a diplomatic solution but warned that he was ready to take "whatever action" was necessary. |
| After late-night talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mrs Clinton is due to travel to Ramallah in the West Bank and Cairo on Wednesday. | After late-night talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mrs Clinton is due to travel to Ramallah in the West Bank and Cairo on Wednesday. |
| The Israeli army said about 150 rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel on Tuesday, and many had been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system. | The Israeli army said about 150 rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel on Tuesday, and many had been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system. |
| It also said one of its soldiers had been killed in the Eshkol area by a rocket - the first military fatality in the recent upsurge. | It also said one of its soldiers had been killed in the Eshkol area by a rocket - the first military fatality in the recent upsurge. |
| An Israeli civilian working for the defence ministry was killed by another strike in the Negev desert. | An Israeli civilian working for the defence ministry was killed by another strike in the Negev desert. |
| Separately, Hamas fighters summarily executed six people on Tuesday afternoon, accusing them of being Israeli informers. | Separately, Hamas fighters summarily executed six people on Tuesday afternoon, accusing them of being Israeli informers. |
| One eyewitness told AFP news agency: "Gunmen in a minibus pulled up in the neighbourhood, pushed six men out and shot them without leaving the vehicle." | One eyewitness told AFP news agency: "Gunmen in a minibus pulled up in the neighbourhood, pushed six men out and shot them without leaving the vehicle." |
| In another development, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing" in Gaza. | In another development, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing" in Gaza. |
| Addressing MPs of his governing AK Party on Tuesday, he said Israel's bombardment could not be considered self-defence. | Addressing MPs of his governing AK Party on Tuesday, he said Israel's bombardment could not be considered self-defence. |
| Ties between Israel and Turkey have been strained since Israeli commandos boarded a Gaza-bound aid ship in 2010, sparking clashes that left nine Turkish activists dead. | Ties between Israel and Turkey have been strained since Israeli commandos boarded a Gaza-bound aid ship in 2010, sparking clashes that left nine Turkish activists dead. |
| Regional risk | Regional risk |
| Israel launched its offensive with the killing of a Hamas military leader last Wednesday. Israel says that assassination, and its subsequent offensive, aims to end rocket fire from Gaza. | Israel launched its offensive with the killing of a Hamas military leader last Wednesday. Israel says that assassination, and its subsequent offensive, aims to end rocket fire from Gaza. |
| Gaza's health ministry says at least 130 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have died since last Wednesday. Three Israeli civilians died last Thursday in the Israeli town of Kiryat Malachi. | Gaza's health ministry says at least 130 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have died since last Wednesday. Three Israeli civilians died last Thursday in the Israeli town of Kiryat Malachi. |
| The contents of the ceasefire plan brokered by Egypt are not known, but both Israel and Hamas have presented conditions. | The contents of the ceasefire plan brokered by Egypt are not known, but both Israel and Hamas have presented conditions. |
| Israel's demands include no hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from re-arming, while Hamas is demanding an end to the blockade on Gaza and targeted killings by Israel. | Israel's demands include no hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from re-arming, while Hamas is demanding an end to the blockade on Gaza and targeted killings by Israel. |
| Israeli troops are massed along the border, raising fears of a ground offensive similar to that of 2008-09. | Israeli troops are massed along the border, raising fears of a ground offensive similar to that of 2008-09. |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Arab League Chief Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo on Tuesday, before heading for Israel. | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Arab League Chief Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo on Tuesday, before heading for Israel. |
| During a joint news conference with Mr Netanyahu, Mr Ban condemned Palestinian rocket attacks but urged Israel to show "maximum restraint". | During a joint news conference with Mr Netanyahu, Mr Ban condemned Palestinian rocket attacks but urged Israel to show "maximum restraint". |
| "Further escalation benefits no-one," he said. | "Further escalation benefits no-one," he said. |
| Are you in Israel or Gaza? Have you been affected? Send us your experiences using the form below. |