15 January 2009
Witnesses say Israeli ground troops have moved their offensive against Hamas into Gaza City's residential areas, despite efforts toward a truce to end the 20-day old conflict.
Israeli tanks were seen pushing deeper into the Gaza Strip's main city Thursday, causing thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes. Israeli warplanes also carried out new air raids across Gaza.
A Palestinian man calls for help as smoke rises from a window following an explosion caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza city, 14 Jan 2009
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad was headed to Cairo for talks on an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire plan.
Hamas representatives, who met with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Wednesday, said they do not reject the broad outlines of the plan but stopped short of accepting it.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is due to arrive in Israel Thursday as part of his regional trip to address the Gaza conflict. Mr. Ban is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres. On Wednesday, the U.N. chief held talks in Egypt and Jordan, renewing his call for an immediate cease-fire.
Egyptian officials say their plan involves both a temporary and long-term truce, an opening of Gaza's border crossings and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. It would also call for the dispatch of international monitors to Gaza.
Palestinian officials say more than a thousand people have been killed during Israel's offensive in Gaza. U.N. officials say 300 children are among the dead. Thirteen Israelis have also died in the conflict, some by Hamas rocket fire from Gaza.
Israel says its offensive aims to stop Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel.
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