Jerusalen (CNN) On the same day the United Nations help an emergency meeting to push for a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, a hospital in Gaza was reportedly hit.
Hamas-run televition aired Monday what it say are live images from Shifa Hospital after an Israeli drone made Israel "direct" strike.
The Isreal Defense Forces sent a text message to media blaming "failed roket attacks launched by Gaza terrorists" for the attacks on Shifa and spot nearby, Al-Shati Refugee camp.
The number of casualties remains unclear
In Israel, at least two Israelis Israelis were severely wounded on Monday when a mortar shell truck the Eshkol region, Israeli rescue services said.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in the conflict putting Israel against Hamas.
The United Nations said a halt in violence would allow urgently needed assistance to reach Gaza.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
MH17 plane crash: Train with bodies leaves Ukraine station
A Ukrainian train carrying bodies from Malaysia Airlines plane crash has left the staion of te town of Torez.
Officials say the train will go to Kharkiv, but there is no confirmation.
Pro-Russian separatists, who are control of the crash site, had placed the remains of the passengers of flight MH17 in refrigerated carriages.
Western countries say the plane was shot down on 17 July by the rebels, who have been involved in heavy fighting in the main rebel-held city of Donetsk
The train's departure comes after tough negotiations between international investigators and the separatists to allow the bodies to leave the rebel-held area.
Ukrainian officials said the train was transporting 280 bodies.
Ukrines's deputy prime minister earlier announced the remains would be taken to the remains would be taken to the eastern city of Kharkiv, before being flown to the Netherlands.
All 298 people on board flight MH17 died when it crashed over the rebel held area between Krasni Lunch in Luhansk region and Shakhtarsk in the region of Donetsk.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Gaza shelling by Isarel leads to deadliest day of conflict
Gaza has suffered highest dealth toll since Israel's offensive began, with at least 87 people reported killed on Sunday 67 of them in one area.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deaths in the Shejaiya district east of Gaza City were a "massacre". Witnesses spoke of bodies lying in the streets.
A humanitarian truce was agreed in the area, but lasted less than an hour.
Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.
Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.
The soldiers were all from the Golani Brigade, the Israel Defense Forces said.
It brings to 18 the number of Israeli soldiers who have killied in th offensive.
The ceasefire in Shejaiya was meant to last from 13:30 to 15:30 local time (10:30-12:30 GMT), according to an Israeli military spokesman.
But a BBC team on the ground reported an exchange of fire less than than an hour after the truce began.
Both sides blamed the other for violating the truce.
Israel earlier said it had expanded its operation - Launched 13 days ago against Hamas militants.
Famillies 'devastated'
The BBC's Yolande Knell, in Gaza City. says there have been scenes of panic with thousands of residents
fleeing the Shejaiya area.
The death toll rose sharply over the weekend, with the number of Palestinians killed more than 425 since the operation began, according to Palestinian health officials.
They say the number of wounded from the operation now stands at more than 3,000.
Paramedics said the rescue workers have so far not been able to get to the eatern part of Shejaiya, an area very close to the Israeli border and about three kilometres (1.2 miles) away from Gaza City, which has seen heavy shelling. Sunday's death toll is expected to rise.
The majority of those killed are civilians, the UN says.
In other devolopments:
- The Israeli military said it "neutralised" two militants who "emerged from a tunne;" in southern Gaza, with no harm to Israeli troops.
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is due to arrive in Qatar later to meet Mr Abbas
- Hamas is continuing to fire rockets into Israel, with one landing the city of Ashkelon
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deaths in the Shejaiya district east of Gaza City were a "massacre". Witnesses spoke of bodies lying in the streets.
A humanitarian truce was agreed in the area, but lasted less than an hour.
Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.
Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.
The soldiers were all from the Golani Brigade, the Israel Defense Forces said.
It brings to 18 the number of Israeli soldiers who have killied in th offensive.
The ceasefire in Shejaiya was meant to last from 13:30 to 15:30 local time (10:30-12:30 GMT), according to an Israeli military spokesman.
But a BBC team on the ground reported an exchange of fire less than than an hour after the truce began.
Both sides blamed the other for violating the truce.
Israel earlier said it had expanded its operation - Launched 13 days ago against Hamas militants.
Famillies 'devastated'
The BBC's Yolande Knell, in Gaza City. says there have been scenes of panic with thousands of residents
fleeing the Shejaiya area.
The death toll rose sharply over the weekend, with the number of Palestinians killed more than 425 since the operation began, according to Palestinian health officials.
They say the number of wounded from the operation now stands at more than 3,000.
Paramedics said the rescue workers have so far not been able to get to the eatern part of Shejaiya, an area very close to the Israeli border and about three kilometres (1.2 miles) away from Gaza City, which has seen heavy shelling. Sunday's death toll is expected to rise.
The majority of those killed are civilians, the UN says.
In other devolopments:
- The Israeli military said it "neutralised" two militants who "emerged from a tunne;" in southern Gaza, with no harm to Israeli troops.
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is due to arrive in Qatar later to meet Mr Abbas
- Hamas is continuing to fire rockets into Israel, with one landing the city of Ashkelon
Saturday, July 19, 2014
MH17 crash: Pressure groups on Russia over crash inquiry
Westem countries have demanded that Russia put pressure on Ukrinanie rebels to allow unhindered access to the site of Thursday Malaysia Airline crash.
Dutch Prime Miniter Mark Rutte said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that time was "running out" to show he could help. Most crash victims were Dutch.
The US and Britan also told Russia full access to the area was needed.
International observers have had their movements restricted by pro-Russia militiamen who control the crash site.
Both Ukraine and the pro-Russia rebels have accused each other of shooting down the boeing 777, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Fight MH 17 was reportedly hit by a missile over a reble-held area Donetsk region on Thursday. All 298 people on board die.
"Time running out"
The passenger list released by Malaysia Airlines show the plane was carring 193 Dutch nationals (including one with dual US nationality), 43 Malaysians (including 15 crew), 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians and 10 Britons (Including one with dual South African nationality), four Germans, four Belgians, tree from the Philippines, and one each from the Canadan and New Zealand.
Ukraine has accused militiamen at the site of the Malaysia Airlines crash of trying to destroy evidence of an "internatonal crime".
In a news conference on Saturday, Mr Rutte said he had had an "intense" phone call with Mr Putin.
Dutch Prime Miniter Mark Rutte said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that time was "running out" to show he could help. Most crash victims were Dutch.
The US and Britan also told Russia full access to the area was needed.
International observers have had their movements restricted by pro-Russia militiamen who control the crash site.
Both Ukraine and the pro-Russia rebels have accused each other of shooting down the boeing 777, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Fight MH 17 was reportedly hit by a missile over a reble-held area Donetsk region on Thursday. All 298 people on board die.
"Time running out"
The passenger list released by Malaysia Airlines show the plane was carring 193 Dutch nationals (including one with dual US nationality), 43 Malaysians (including 15 crew), 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians and 10 Britons (Including one with dual South African nationality), four Germans, four Belgians, tree from the Philippines, and one each from the Canadan and New Zealand.
Ukraine has accused militiamen at the site of the Malaysia Airlines crash of trying to destroy evidence of an "internatonal crime".
In a news conference on Saturday, Mr Rutte said he had had an "intense" phone call with Mr Putin.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Obama: Malaysian jet shoot down an 'outrage of unspeakable proportion'
Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) [Breaking news alert, 12:06 p.m]
President Barack Obama said Friday that the Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed in Ukraine was shot down in an "outrage of unspeakadble proportion." He identified one American who died in the crash as Quinn Lucas Schansman.
He also said that pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have received a "steady flow" of arms and training from Russia, including anti-aircraft weapons. He called for a "creadible international investigation" into the shooting down of the plane.
The President called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine between the kiev government and pro-Russian rebels in eastern regions so that an international investigation can proceed with no tempering of evidence.
[Previous story, 11:30 a.m.]
A senior U.S diplomat pointed the finger Friday at pro-Russian rebels in the downing of Malysia Airline flight 17 in Ukraina. an act that killed 298 people.
U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Samamtha Power told an emengercy meeting of the U.N Security Council that the plane was "likely downed by a surface-to-air missile...Operated from a separatist-held location in eastern Ukraina" If pro-Russian separatists are responsible for shooting down the plane with a missile, investigastor can't rule out the possibility that Russia offered help to operated the system, she said.
Power also said Russia should take steps to cool tensions in Ukraine.
"Russia can end this war" she said "Russia must end this war"
The United State and Ukraine are committed to a diplomatic solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine, she said, but if Russia continutes to choose escalation, additional sanctions will follow.
President Barack Obama said Friday that the Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed in Ukraine was shot down in an "outrage of unspeakadble proportion." He identified one American who died in the crash as Quinn Lucas Schansman.
He also said that pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have received a "steady flow" of arms and training from Russia, including anti-aircraft weapons. He called for a "creadible international investigation" into the shooting down of the plane.
The President called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine between the kiev government and pro-Russian rebels in eastern regions so that an international investigation can proceed with no tempering of evidence.
[Previous story, 11:30 a.m.]
A senior U.S diplomat pointed the finger Friday at pro-Russian rebels in the downing of Malysia Airline flight 17 in Ukraina. an act that killed 298 people.
U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Samamtha Power told an emengercy meeting of the U.N Security Council that the plane was "likely downed by a surface-to-air missile...Operated from a separatist-held location in eastern Ukraina" If pro-Russian separatists are responsible for shooting down the plane with a missile, investigastor can't rule out the possibility that Russia offered help to operated the system, she said.
Power also said Russia should take steps to cool tensions in Ukraine.
"Russia can end this war" she said "Russia must end this war"
The United State and Ukraine are committed to a diplomatic solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine, she said, but if Russia continutes to choose escalation, additional sanctions will follow.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Malaysia jet crashes in east Ukraine conflict zone
A Malaysia Airlines jet carring 295 people has crashed in east Ukraine on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Một máy bay của hãng hàng không Malaysia trở 295 hành khách và phi hành đoàn đã bị rơi tại miền đông Ukraina chong chuyến bay từ Amsterdam đến Kuala Lumpur.
There are no signs of survivors at the scene of the crash near the village of Grabovo, in rebel-held territory close to the border with Russia.
Không có dấu hiệu nào của sự sống sót khi máy bay rơi gần khu làng Grabove bên trong vùng lãnh thổ của phiến quân gần biên giới với Nga.
Both sides in Ukraines's civil conflict accused each other of shooting down the plane with a missile. It is still not clear why the plane came down.
Cả hai bên đều cáo buộc lẫn nhau đã bắn hạ báy bay bằng một quả tên lửa. Hiện tại chưa rõ nguyên nhân máy bay tại sao lại rơi.
It is the second disaster suffered by Malaysia Airlines this year.
Đây là thảm họa thứ hai hãng hàng không Malaysia Airlines trong năm nay.
Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Malaysia to China in March and still has not been found.
Chuyến bay MH 370 đã biến mất khỏi màn hình Rada trên đường đi từ Malaysia đến Trung Quốc.
At a news conference at schiphol airport, Malaysia Airlines' European chief Huib Gorter said they were still trying to identify some of the passengers from flight MH17.
Tại một cuoopj họp báo ở sân bay Shiphol Armtemdam cho biết chúng tôi đang cố gắng xác thực chuyến bay MH 17
He said of the passengers that have been identified there were.
Ông cho biết các hành khách được xác nhận bao gồm.
154 Duch nationals, 27 Australians, 23 malaysians, 11 Indonesians
154 người Hà Lan, 27 người Úc, 23 người Malaysia, 11 người Indonesia
Six britons, four germans, four Belgians, three from the Philippies and one Canadian
6 người Anh, 4 người Đức, 4 người bỉ, 3 người Philippin, 1 người Canadian
All 15 of the crew were Malaysian
15 nhân viên phi hành đoàn người Malaysian
Other airlines have announced they are now avoiding eastern Ukraine
Đồng loạt các hãng hàng không khác đã công bố tránh đường bay qua miền đông Ukraine.
Một máy bay của hãng hàng không Malaysia trở 295 hành khách và phi hành đoàn đã bị rơi tại miền đông Ukraina chong chuyến bay từ Amsterdam đến Kuala Lumpur.
There are no signs of survivors at the scene of the crash near the village of Grabovo, in rebel-held territory close to the border with Russia.
Không có dấu hiệu nào của sự sống sót khi máy bay rơi gần khu làng Grabove bên trong vùng lãnh thổ của phiến quân gần biên giới với Nga.
Both sides in Ukraines's civil conflict accused each other of shooting down the plane with a missile. It is still not clear why the plane came down.
Cả hai bên đều cáo buộc lẫn nhau đã bắn hạ báy bay bằng một quả tên lửa. Hiện tại chưa rõ nguyên nhân máy bay tại sao lại rơi.
It is the second disaster suffered by Malaysia Airlines this year.
Đây là thảm họa thứ hai hãng hàng không Malaysia Airlines trong năm nay.
Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Malaysia to China in March and still has not been found.
Chuyến bay MH 370 đã biến mất khỏi màn hình Rada trên đường đi từ Malaysia đến Trung Quốc.
At a news conference at schiphol airport, Malaysia Airlines' European chief Huib Gorter said they were still trying to identify some of the passengers from flight MH17.
Tại một cuoopj họp báo ở sân bay Shiphol Armtemdam cho biết chúng tôi đang cố gắng xác thực chuyến bay MH 17
He said of the passengers that have been identified there were.
Ông cho biết các hành khách được xác nhận bao gồm.
154 Duch nationals, 27 Australians, 23 malaysians, 11 Indonesians
154 người Hà Lan, 27 người Úc, 23 người Malaysia, 11 người Indonesia
Six britons, four germans, four Belgians, three from the Philippies and one Canadian
6 người Anh, 4 người Đức, 4 người bỉ, 3 người Philippin, 1 người Canadian
All 15 of the crew were Malaysian
15 nhân viên phi hành đoàn người Malaysian
Other airlines have announced they are now avoiding eastern Ukraine
Đồng loạt các hãng hàng không khác đã công bố tránh đường bay qua miền đông Ukraine.
Israel warns Gazans to leave homes as air strikes continue
Israel has ordered thousands of Palestinians in eastern and northern Gaza to leave their homes as it continues air strikes.
Israel đã thông báo cho hàng ngàn người Palestin rời bỏ nhà cửa của họ ở dải Gaza khi các cuộc giao tranh tiếp tục xảy ra.
The warning came after an Egyptian truce initiative failed to hlt militant rocket attacks on Israel.
Một lời cảnh báo đã được đưa ra sau khi sáng kiến đàn phán của Ai Cập thất bại để ngăn chặn các cuộc leo thang ở Gaza.
Palestinian officials say Israeli raids have killed 194 people so far. Israel on Tuesday reported its first fatality.
Một quan chức Palestin cho biết các cuộc tấn công của Israel đã giết chết khoảng 194 người dân. Đến thứ 3 vừa rồi Irael mới có một trường hợp tử vong.
The resumption of air strikes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had " no choice" but to step up the military campaign.
Việc nối lại các cuộc tấn công xảy ra khi thủ tướng Israel cho biết ông không có sự lựa chọn nào khác. Phải tiếp tục các cuộc tấn công.
"When there is no ceasefire, our answer is fire," Mr Netayahu said.
"Khi không có các cuộc ngừng bắn, câu trả lời của chúng tôi là khói lửa" Netayahu nói.
The Israel Defense Forces are using recordded telephone messages, warning 100,000 residents of Gaza to leave homes before 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Quân đội Israel đã sử dụng tin nhắn điện thoại để cảnh báo đến 100000 người dân ở dải Gaza, phải rời bỏ nhà cửa trước 8h sáng thứ tư.
Israel launched its Operation Protective Edge eight days ago. Its stated objective is to halt Palestinian rocket attaks on Israel, but the UN says the majority of those killed in Gaza have been civilians.
Israel mở các cuộc tấn công từ 8 ngày trước. Họ nói mục tiêu là các cơ sở của nhóm phiến quân, nhưng liên hợp quốc nói đa số người thiệt mạng là các dân thường vô tội.
Hamas says the terms of the ceasefire did not address concerns over the economic blockade of the Gaza trip, which has caused severe economic hardship for many Palestinians.
Hamas cho biết các điều khoản của lệnh ngừng bắn đã không được thông qua, lệnh phong tỏa kinh tế được siết chặt, cuộc sống của người dân Palestin càng khó khăn hơn.
PM "a failure"
(Một sự thất bại)
The Egyptian-backed truce was to have started at 09:00 (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Các thỏa thuận ngừng bắn do Ai Cập đề suất bắt đầu vào 9h sáng thứ 3
Analysis
Phân tích
Kevin Connolly, BBC Middle East correspondent, Jerusalem
Kevin Connolly, phóng viên BBC thường trú tại trung đông, Jerusalem.
It took six hours for the first attempet to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas to founder.
Phải mất sáu giờ đầu tiên để cố gắng nối lại các cuộc đàn phán.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had warned that if the rocket fire continued, Israel would hit back hard - and now it has.
Israel cảnh báo nếu cứ tiếp tục bắn Rocket thì Israel sẽ đáp trả và không có đàm phán.
In the search for a ceasefire, thi is clearly a setback although not necessarily a terminal blow.
Trong cuộc tìm kiếm một lệnh ngừng bắn,
Hamas wants some concessions like the lifting of the tight restrictions Israel and Egypt impose on Gaza's border in advance of any deal.
Hamas muốn có một sự nhượng bộ như là dỡ bỏ lệnh cấm vận áp đặt lên biên giới Gaza
Egypt won't give on its diplomatics efforts after a single setback but the resumption of hostilites means the question of whether Israel will eventuall order ground operations is back on the agenda.
Israel's security cabinet approved it and operations wre helted 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."
One senior Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, told the BBC it had only heard about the truce initiative trough the media and that a ceasefire could not be put in place without the details of any agreement being known.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a top Hamas official, said no final decision had been taken on the Egyptian initiative.
But he told Lebanese TV: "The siege on Gaza must be broken and the people of Gaza should live freeely like other people of the world."
Another Hamas leader in Gaza, Mushir al-Masri, told Associated Press that mediators and international guarantees would be needed for any deal to work.
Mr Netanyahu had come under fire 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".
"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.
Israeli defence official Amos Gilad said: "we still have possibility of going in , under cabinet authority, and putting an end to [the rockets]."
Us state deparment spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Israel had the right to defend itself, but added that "no-one wants a ground war".
The Israel Defense Forces 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.
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.
Israel đã thông báo cho hàng ngàn người Palestin rời bỏ nhà cửa của họ ở dải Gaza khi các cuộc giao tranh tiếp tục xảy ra.
The warning came after an Egyptian truce initiative failed to hlt militant rocket attacks on Israel.
Một lời cảnh báo đã được đưa ra sau khi sáng kiến đàn phán của Ai Cập thất bại để ngăn chặn các cuộc leo thang ở Gaza.
Palestinian officials say Israeli raids have killed 194 people so far. Israel on Tuesday reported its first fatality.
Một quan chức Palestin cho biết các cuộc tấn công của Israel đã giết chết khoảng 194 người dân. Đến thứ 3 vừa rồi Irael mới có một trường hợp tử vong.
The resumption of air strikes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had " no choice" but to step up the military campaign.
Việc nối lại các cuộc tấn công xảy ra khi thủ tướng Israel cho biết ông không có sự lựa chọn nào khác. Phải tiếp tục các cuộc tấn công.
"When there is no ceasefire, our answer is fire," Mr Netayahu said.
"Khi không có các cuộc ngừng bắn, câu trả lời của chúng tôi là khói lửa" Netayahu nói.
The Israel Defense Forces are using recordded telephone messages, warning 100,000 residents of Gaza to leave homes before 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Quân đội Israel đã sử dụng tin nhắn điện thoại để cảnh báo đến 100000 người dân ở dải Gaza, phải rời bỏ nhà cửa trước 8h sáng thứ tư.
Israel launched its Operation Protective Edge eight days ago. Its stated objective is to halt Palestinian rocket attaks on Israel, but the UN says the majority of those killed in Gaza have been civilians.
Israel mở các cuộc tấn công từ 8 ngày trước. Họ nói mục tiêu là các cơ sở của nhóm phiến quân, nhưng liên hợp quốc nói đa số người thiệt mạng là các dân thường vô tội.
Hamas says the terms of the ceasefire did not address concerns over the economic blockade of the Gaza trip, which has caused severe economic hardship for many Palestinians.
Hamas cho biết các điều khoản của lệnh ngừng bắn đã không được thông qua, lệnh phong tỏa kinh tế được siết chặt, cuộc sống của người dân Palestin càng khó khăn hơn.
PM "a failure"
(Một sự thất bại)
The Egyptian-backed truce was to have started at 09:00 (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Các thỏa thuận ngừng bắn do Ai Cập đề suất bắt đầu vào 9h sáng thứ 3
Analysis
Phân tích
Kevin Connolly, BBC Middle East correspondent, Jerusalem
Kevin Connolly, phóng viên BBC thường trú tại trung đông, Jerusalem.
It took six hours for the first attempet to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas to founder.
Phải mất sáu giờ đầu tiên để cố gắng nối lại các cuộc đàn phán.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had warned that if the rocket fire continued, Israel would hit back hard - and now it has.
Israel cảnh báo nếu cứ tiếp tục bắn Rocket thì Israel sẽ đáp trả và không có đàm phán.
In the search for a ceasefire, thi is clearly a setback although not necessarily a terminal blow.
Trong cuộc tìm kiếm một lệnh ngừng bắn,
Hamas wants some concessions like the lifting of the tight restrictions Israel and Egypt impose on Gaza's border in advance of any deal.
Hamas muốn có một sự nhượng bộ như là dỡ bỏ lệnh cấm vận áp đặt lên biên giới Gaza
Egypt won't give on its diplomatics efforts after a single setback but the resumption of hostilites means the question of whether Israel will eventuall order ground operations is back on the agenda.
Israel's security cabinet approved it and operations wre helted 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."
One senior Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, told the BBC it had only heard about the truce initiative trough the media and that a ceasefire could not be put in place without the details of any agreement being known.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a top Hamas official, said no final decision had been taken on the Egyptian initiative.
But he told Lebanese TV: "The siege on Gaza must be broken and the people of Gaza should live freeely like other people of the world."
Another Hamas leader in Gaza, Mushir al-Masri, told Associated Press that mediators and international guarantees would be needed for any deal to work.
Mr Netanyahu had come under fire 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".
"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.
Israeli defence official Amos Gilad said: "we still have possibility of going in , under cabinet authority, and putting an end to [the rockets]."
Us state deparment spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Israel had the right to defend itself, but added that "no-one wants a ground war".
The Israel Defense Forces 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.
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.
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