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Israel intensifies Gaza offensive

al-Qaeda calls for jihad; UN chief for immediate ceasefire

Agencies
Fighting has intensified in the Gaza Strip between Israeli troops and Palestinians yesterday as al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden called for a holy war against Israel in revenge for its deadly offensive.
In his first recorded statement in eight months, the al-Qaeda chief appealed for jihad to stop Israel's "aggression against Gaza”, a US-based monitoring service said on Wednesday.
In the 22-minute audio recording entitled "A Call for Jihad to Stop Aggression Against Gaza." Bin Laden called for a holy war to restore "Jerusalemand Palestine," IntelCentre said.
The al-Qaeda leader slammed Arab and Islamic governments for their response to the Israeli onslaught in which nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed, at least 292 of them children.
Israel said it launched 60 air strikes overnight. Residents spoke of heavy machine-gun fire as Israeli troops fought Hamas gunmen near Gaza City.
The conflict has reportedly killed nearly 1,000 Gazans and 13 Israelis.
Diplomatic moves to end the crisis continue, with UN head Ban Ki-moon reiterating his call for an immediate ceasefire after talks in Egypt with President Mubarak continue.
Egypt has been leading efforts to broker a ceasefire deal, that could include a new force of peacekeepers to prevent smuggling on its border with Gaza.
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The Islamist movement Hamas has reacted favourably to an Egyptian plan aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an official source was quoted as saying yesterday by state news agency MENA
"Hamas has reacted favourably to Egyptian efforts to end Palestinian bloodshed during discussions (in Cairo) over the last three days," the official was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, three rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona.
The rockets fired from Lebanon landed on open ground near the city. There are no reports of injuries or damage.
Lebanese security officials say the Israeli army fired eight shells into southern Lebanon in retaliation, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Four rockets were fired on northern Israel from Lebanon last week, prompting fears of a widening of the conflict.
As attempts to end the crisis by diplomatic means continue, Israel pressed ahead with its military offensive overnight, hitting 60 targets, including 35 weapons-smuggling tunnels on the border with Egypt and a cemetery in Gaza City.
However, analysts say Israel may be holding back from all-out urban warfare in Gaza City.
Intense street fighting could cause heavy casualties on both sides, they say, which would be politically risky less than a month Before Israel holds elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Cairo after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Muoarak, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He also said he would not visit Gaza until after a ceasefire had been implemented.
Israel had planned to send its chief negotiator, Amos Gilad, to Cairo to meet with Ban, but the trip was cancelled.
Meanwhile, the Israeli media have reported divisions within the government.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak is said to favour a week-long ceasefire in Gaza to allow for the delivery of much-needed supplies and to give politicians the breathing space to hammer out a long-term truce.
But Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he wants to press on with the. military campaign for however long it takes.
After Cairo, Ban will visit Israel and the West Bank as well as other regional powers.
He has said he will also be encouraging initiatives to open border crossings with Gaza, which is subject to an Israeli blockade, ana provide human-itarianaid.
The UN chief however is not scheduled to meet representatives of Hamas, but he has already held talks with Saudi King Abdullah amid reports Cairo is putting increasing pressure on Hamas leaders to accept a truce proposal.
A spokesman for Hamas, which controls Gaza, said any ceasefire agreement would have to entail a halt to Israeli attacks, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the opening of border crossings to end the blockade of Gaza.
Humanitarian concerns have increased amid the fighting, although some aid is get-tine through to Gaza during daily three-hour lulls Israel has allowed to let in supplies.
On Tuesday, a senior UN aid official appealed to the international community to provide protection for civilians in Gaza, calling it a "test of our humanity".
"Whatever is being done is not sufficient until the guns fall silent," John Gingsaid.
Since Israel's offensive on Gaza began on 27 December, nearly 1,000 Gazans have been killed, 4,400 have been injured, and an estimated 90,000 have fled their homes, according to Palestinian figures.
A UN watchdog has accused Israel of showing a "manifest disrespect" for the protection ofchildreninGaza.
More than 40% of those killed in Gaza were women or children, said the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, even though Israel had signed a UN protocol condemning attacks on places where children were likely to be present.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of trying to "wipe out" his people.
Meanwhile Bolivian President Evo Morales announced yesterday that Bolivia had broken off diplomatic ties with Israel in protest at its deadly attacks in the Gaza Strip.
(BBC Online, AFP)