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Israel warns Gazans to leave homes as air strikes continue Israel warns Gazans to leave homes as air strikes continue
(35 minutes later)
Israel warned thousands of Palestinians in eastern and northern Gaza to leave their homes as it continues air strikes. Israel has urged thousands of Palestinians in eastern and northern Gaza to leave their homes as it continues air strikes.
The warning came after an Egyptian truce initiative failed to halt militant rocket attacks on Israel. An Egyptian truce initiative on Tuesday failed to halt rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas militants and other groups.
Hamas initially rejected the truce but an official later told the BBC it would consider a political solution. Israel, which had its first fatality on Tuesday, said senior Hamas militants had died in strikes on Gaza overnight.
Palestinian officials say Israeli raids have killed 204 people so far. Israel on Tuesday reported its first fatality. Palestinian officials say Israeli raids have killed 204 people so far, including ten overnight into Wednesday.
Ten people were reported killed in Gaza in overnight attacks. Among those reported killed was a five-month-old baby.
Israel launched its Operation Protective Edge on 8 July. Its stated objective is to halt Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, but the United Nations says the majority of those killed in Gaza have been civilians.
'No choice'
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had used recorded telephone messages to warn some 100,000 residents of Gaza to leave their homes before 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
The resumption of air strikes comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had "no choice" but to step up the military campaign.The resumption of air strikes comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had "no choice" but to step up the military campaign.
"When there is no ceasefire, our answer is fire," Mr Netanyahu said."When there is no ceasefire, our answer is fire," Mr Netanyahu said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are using recorded telephone messages, warning 100,000 residents of Gaza to leave their homes before 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The Egyptian-backed truce was to have started at 09:00 (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday, after it was approved by Israel's security cabinet.
Israel also targeted the house of a senior Hamas official in western Gaza early on Wednesday. Israeli attacks were halted for six hours, but resumed after militants continued to fire dozens of rockets.
Mahmud al-Zahar, a member of the political bureau of the movement, was not at home at the time. Hamas said the terms of the ceasefire did not address concerns over the economic blockade of the Gaza strip, which has caused severe economic hardship for many Palestinians.
Israel launched its Operation Protective Edge eight days ago. Its stated objective is to halt Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, but the UN says the majority of those killed in Gaza have been civilians. After the resumption of operations, Mr Netanyahu said: "This would have been better resolved diplomatically; that's what we tried to do when we accepted the Egyptian truce proposal.
Hamas says the terms of the ceasefire did not address concerns over the economic blockade of the Gaza strip, which has caused severe economic hardship for many Palestinians.
PM 'a failure'
The Egyptian-backed truce was to have started at 09:00 (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Israel's security cabinet approved it and operations were halted for six hours.
However, Israel then resumed its attacks on Gaza, saying militants had continued to fire dozens of rockets.
Mr Netanyahu said: "This would have been better resolved diplomatically, that's what we tried to do when we accepted the Egyptian truce proposal.
"But Hamas leaves us no choice but to expand and intensify the campaign against it.""But Hamas leaves us no choice but to expand and intensify the campaign against it."
One senior Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, told the BBC it had only heard about the truce initiative through the media and that a ceasefire could not be put in place without the details of any agreement being known.
The armed wing of Hamas, the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, dismissed the initiative, saying its battle with Israel would "increase in ferocity and intensity".
Under the terms of the Egyptian initiative, the ceasefire should have been followed by a series of meetings in Cairo with high-level delegations from the two sides.Under the terms of the Egyptian initiative, the ceasefire should have been followed by a series of meetings in Cairo with high-level delegations from the two sides.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a top Hamas official, said no final decision had been taken on the Egyptian initiative. But a senior Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, told the BBC it had only heard about the truce initiative through the media and that a ceasefire could not be put in place without the details of any agreement being known.
But he told Lebanese TV: "The siege on Gaza must be broken and the people of Gaza should live freely like other people of the world." The armed wing of Hamas, the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, dismissed the initiative, saying its battle with Israel would "increase in ferocity and intensity".
Another Hamas leader in Gaza, Mushir al-Masri, told Associated Press that mediators and international guarantees would be needed for any deal to work. Lack of water
Mr Netanyahu had come under fire in Israel for accepting the truce initiative. Mr Netanyahu had come under strong criticism in Israel for accepting the truce initiative.
His office announced that deputy defence minister Danny Danon had been sacked for comments branding the PM a "failure".His office announced that deputy defence minister Danny Danon had been sacked for comments branding the PM a "failure".
"It is inconceivable that the deputy defence minister will attack the country's leadership leading the campaign," a statement read."It is inconceivable that the deputy defence minister will attack the country's leadership leading the campaign," a statement read.
Israel has mobilised tens of thousands of troops on the border with Gaza amid speculation a ground invasion could be launched.Israel has mobilised tens of thousands of troops on the border with Gaza amid speculation a ground invasion could be launched.
Israeli defence official Amos Gilad said: "We still have the possibility of going in, under cabinet authority, and putting an end to [the rockets]."Israeli defence official Amos Gilad said: "We still have the possibility of going in, under cabinet authority, and putting an end to [the rockets]."
US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Israel had the right to defend itself, but added that "no-one wants a ground war".US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Israel had the right to defend itself, but added that "no-one wants a ground war".
The IDF said militants had fired more than 140 rockets into Israel on Tuesday, and more than 1,100 in the past eight days.The IDF said militants had fired more than 140 rockets into Israel on Tuesday, and more than 1,100 in the past eight days.
A 38-year-old Israeli man was killed by a mortar shell fired from Gaza near the northern border with Israel, reports said.A 38-year-old Israeli man was killed by a mortar shell fired from Gaza near the northern border with Israel, reports said.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of Gazans were without water following the Israeli air strikes and that 560 homes had been destroyed. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday that 560 homes had been destroyed.
The International Red Cross warned that repeated bombing was devastating Gaza's "fragile water infrastructure", with hundreds of people left without water.
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