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US prepared to broker Gaza ceasefire, says Obama US prepared to broker Gaza ceasefire, says Obama
(about 1 hour later)
The US is prepared to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, President Barack Obama has said.The US is prepared to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, President Barack Obama has said.
His comments came during a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His comments came in a phone call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Netanyahu earlier said Israel's operation was progressing as planned and "more stages were expected". Mr Netanyahu earlier said Israel's operation was progressing as planned with "more stages expected". The air strikes on Gaza, and militant rocket fire into Israel, continued overnight.
More than 90 Gazans have been killed since Israel's campaign began on Tuesday, Palestinian officials say. More than 90 Gazans have died since Tuesday, Palestinian officials say.
About 600 have been injured, most of them civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. About half of those killed are civilians, the health ministry has said, with some 600 people - mainly civilians - injured.
Israel says it hit more than 100 targets in Gaza on Thursday, while Palestinian militants have continued to fire rockets into Israel. Israel says "dozens of terrorists" are among the dead.
Israel says militants have fired close to 500 rockets from Gaza since it launched its Operation Protective Edge early on Tuesday. It says many of the rockets have been intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile system - and that it has attacked about 780 targets over the same period.
There have been no reports of fatalities in Israel.There have been no reports of fatalities in Israel.
At least one rocket was fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel early on Friday, but no casualties have been reported. One person was seriously injured when a rocket hit a petrol station in the southern town of Ashdod on Friday morning, reports say.
"One projectile hit an open space near Kfar Yuval, between Metula and Kiryat Shmona," a military spokeswoman told the AFP news agency. At least one rocket was also fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel early on Friday, but no casualties have been reported.
Israel launched its operation Protective Edge after a surge in rocket fire from Gaza amid a crackdown on Hamas members in the West Bank last month, as Israel hunted for the abductors of three Israeli teenagers. In Gaza, an Israeli air strike on a house in the southern town of Rafah overnight killed at least three people, Palestinian sources said.
The teenagers were found murdered, and tensions were raised further with the killing of a Palestinian teenager in a suspected revenge attack days later.
'Full-blown war''Full-blown war'
"The United States remains prepared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities, including a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement," Mr Obama told Mr Netanyahu. In his telephone call with Mr Netanyahu, Barack Obama said: "The United States remains prepared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities, including a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement," according to a White House statement.
The US leader also "expressed concern about the risk of further escalation and emphasised the need for all sides to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians and restore calm". The president also strongly condemned rocket fire by Hamas, "expressed concern about the risk of further escalation and emphasised the need for all sides to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians and restore calm".
French and Russian Presidents Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin also made ceasefire pleas.French and Russian Presidents Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin also made ceasefire pleas.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged both Israel and Palestinian militants to exercise restraint, saying the Middle East could not afford "another full-blown war".Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged both Israel and Palestinian militants to exercise restraint, saying the Middle East could not afford "another full-blown war".
Mr Netanyahu said after a meeting with top security officials that Hamas militants had been hit hard in Gaza.Mr Netanyahu said after a meeting with top security officials that Hamas militants had been hit hard in Gaza.
He gave no indication of when or whether ground troops would be committed to the campaign, Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper reports.He gave no indication of when or whether ground troops would be committed to the campaign, Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper reports.
Israel says its targets in Gaza have been militant fighters and facilities, and that "dozens of terrorists" have been killed. The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem says a ground invasion would be a big political gamble as the military would have to deliver a clear victory before leaving, and that would be extremely difficult.
But the Palestinian health ministry says many of those who have died were women and children. Israel says its targets in Gaza have been militant fighters and facilities, but the Palestinian health ministry says many of those who have died were women and children.
More than 20 people have been killed in the latest air raids on Gaza, Palestinian officials say - most of whom were in a house and a cafe in Khan Younis.
Israel says militants have fired more than 365 rockets from Gaza since Tuesday - many of which have been intercepted by the Iron Dome system - and that it has attacked about 780 targets over the same time.
Egypt's role
Separately, Egyptian state television said the government had decided to open the Rafah border crossing on Thursday to evacuate some of those wounded in the Israeli attacks.
Hospitals in North Sinai have been placed on standby and 30 ambulances sent to the crossing.
Egypt says it is in contact with both sides. But while it has played a key role in the past as a mediator, it currently appears to be biding its time, says the BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo.
Analysts say Egypt is in no hurry to broker a ceasefire that might benefit Hamas - as happened under ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in November 2012.
Egypt sees Hamas, an offshoot of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, as a direct threat.
Israel's Iron Dome missile shieldIsrael's Iron Dome missile shield
Are you in Israel or Gaza? How has the violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Israel Gaza'.Are you in Israel or Gaza? How has the violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Israel Gaza'.