Israel-Hamas 'Open War': LIVE UPDATES

Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Benny Gantz says situation on Gaza border is "positive", but urges caution over the next few days.

View more photos from the Israel-Hamas conflict in RT's gallery.

Nov. 25, 17:31 GMT: Netanyahu has told Israeli pilots that they may "prepare for the next campaign" as long as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is kept. However, he warned that they would go back to "hitting what remains of the Hamas stockpile of weapons" if the agreement is broken. He also told reservists that they may be needed again later, The Jerusalem Post reported. Nov. 24, 22:26 GMT: The eight-day Israeli assault on Gaza has resulted in $300 million in economic damage, a Palestinian Chamber of Commerce report said. The damage comes on top of a death toll of 168 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians. The report described the situation in Gaza as a 'disaster.'

"Free,free #Palestine!!" Demo outside Israeli embassy in London #Gazatwitter.com/RTLondonBureau…

— RT London Bureau (@RTLondonBureau) ноября 24, 2012

Nov. 24, 00:23 GMT: A group of young Palestinians have reached the barrier and taken a photo of the bombed Israeli army jeep. On Friday, one Palestinian was killed and 19 others injured after Israeli soldiers opened fire at the Gaza-Israel border near the village of Khuzaa in southern Gaza after the group, according to some reports, approached the border fence to salvage scrap metal from the jeep.

Nov. 23, 10:26 GMT: At least five members of the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Parliament were detained by Israeli forces. Some 28 Palestinians were arrested overnight, Ma’an news agency quoted an Israeli military spokesperson as saying.Nov. 23, 06:16 GMT: No attacks across the Israel-Gaza border took place overnight, the IDF reports.

Nov. 22, 22:18 GMT: Less than 2 kilometers away from Gaza, residents of the Israeli city of Sderot have taken to the streets to protest the latest ceasefire between Hamas and Tel Aviv, voicing disappointment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership.

Nov. 22, 20:01 GMT: The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been reopened as a part of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Nov 22, 17:10 GMT: Civil defense crews on Thursday retrieved the body of a 29-year-old man from the rubble of the al-Dalou family home in Gaza City, according to the Ma'an News Agency.  This brings the members of one family killed by Israeli airstrikes to 17, with one family member still missing.

Nov. 22, 14:40 GMT: An Israeli soldier injured by mortar fire from Gaza on Wednesday has died from his wounds. The casualty brings Israel’s death toll in the conflict to six. The IDF identified the soldier as Boris Yarmulnik, 28, from the town of Netanya in northern Israel.

Nov. 22, 13:40 GMT: Hamas premier Ismail Haniyeh called on all Palestinian factions to honor the recent ceasefire and congratulated Palestinians on their “victory” in the Gaza crisis. He also thanked Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi for his role in helping broker a truce, and Iran for supplying military aid.

Nov. 22, 11:54 GMT: IDF chief Benny Ganz has ordered that reserve soldiers called up during the ‘Pillar of Defense’ operation gradually be discharged.

Nov. 22, 11:42 GMT: Israel could resume its missile attacks on Gaza at any point should Hamas violate the truce called on Wednesday, warned Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Nov. 22, 11:40 GMT: The ceasefire is an acceptable step for Israel-Gaza relations for the time being, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Nov. 22, 11:35 GMT: Russia has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel following eight days of violence, and praised Egypt’s role in facilitating the truce, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aleksandr Lukashevich said.

Nov. 22, 09:32 GMT: Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has sent special envoy Bassam al-Salhi on a three-day visit to China. Al-Salhi will hold talks with Chinese officials on a number of issues, including an appeal by PA leaders for Beijing to intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The envoy is also expected to ask for support for the PA's request for non-observer status in the UN. The visit is widely seen as a sign of China’s growing influence in the Middle East.

Nov. 22, 08:25 GMT: The IDF has arrested 55 suspected terrorists in Judea and Samaria as part of a sweeping counter-terrorist operation during the night.

Nov. 22, 05:34 GMT: The IDF in turn says it intercepted 421 of the 1,506 rockets launched from Gaza into Israel with its ‘Iron Dome’ defense system. Another 152 rockets fired from Gaza crashed back into Gaza, according to the IDF website.

Nov. 22, 05:32 GMT: Israel reportedly fired over 1,500 rockets into Gaza during the eight-day conflict. The IDF claimed it successfully targeted over 1,500 "terrorist sites", including 980 underground rocket launchers.

Nov. 22, 05:21 GMT: Many of those listed as wounded in Israel said their injuries were due to stress-related trauma, the Guardian reported.

Nov. 22, 05:05 GMT: The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Gaza conflict is estimated at between 140 and 162, various media outlets reported. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the current death toll in Israel is five casualties and 240 injured. Hundreds of Palestinian children were wounded, including at least 88 under the age of 5, UNICEF reported.

Nov. 22, 00:57 GMT: Israeli military has confirmed that at least five rockets had been fired at Israel from Gaza since the implementation of the ceasefire. “We have counted five rockets fired from Gaza since 21:00 Wednesday,” the Israeli military's press service told Ria Novosti. “Three of them landed in Israel, while two were intercepted. We did not fire back.” Earlier Reuters reported that 12 rockets were fired from Gaza, citing a police source.

Nov. 22, 00:12 GMT: Drones are reportedly continuing to circle over Gaza.

Nov. 21, 21:23 GMT: “I would say that most of the people that were hit in Gaza deserved it, as they were just armed terrorists,” Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, told the Public Radio International.

Nov. 21, 20:34 GMT: Israeli officials claim that some 12 rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect at 19:00 GMT.Nov. 21, 20:28 GMT: Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal says the ceasefire agreement requires the opening of all crossings to Gaza, including the one shared with Egypt.Nov. 21, 20:26 GMT: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has welcomed the agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza, warning that “for it to hold, the rocket attacks must end, a broader calm return.” “Now we have to focus on reaching a durable outcome that promotes regional stability and advances the security, dignity, and legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike,” she told the press after meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr.

Nov. 21, 20:14 GMT: Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal praised Egypt for its efforts in reaching the truce agreement. He said that Israel has started the conflict, and that Hamas was forced to respond. He added that while Israel claims to have reached its goals, it “failed to destroy Gaza’s infrastructure.”

Nov. 21, 19:44 GMT: Palestinians have taken to the streets of Gaza to celebrate the truce. Sounds of celebratory gunfire, car horns and fireworks fill Gaza as the ceasefire takes effect.

Nov. 21, 19:21 GMT: Despite the ceasefire, all schools and services in 40 kilometers of Gaza will remain closed tomorrow, RT’s Paula Slier reports from Tel Aviv.

Nov. 21, 19:00 GMT: The Gaza ceasefire has come into effect. Israeli troops have received ceasefire orders, the IDF says, with the caveat that they will respond immediately if fired upon.

Nov. 21, 18:55 GMT: Three tunnels and two underground rocket launchers were targeted in Gaza “a short while ago,” the IDF says, as the fire from both sides continues minutes before a ceasefire is set to take effect.

Nov. 21, 18:34 GMT: Five rockets have been fired at Israeli city Be’er Sheva in the last half hour, Al Jazeera’s Gregg Carlstrom reports. The Iron Dome has also intercepted rockets near the city of Ashdod, Israeli media report.

Nov. 21, 18:25 GMT: Reports set the death toll in Gaza at 162, which included 41 children and 11 women.

Nov. 21, 18:10 GMT: A child has been killed and another wounded during an Israeli attack on the Naama building, RT's bureau in Tel Aviv reports, citing an emergency services spokesman.

Nov. 21, 17:47 GMT: The ceasefire takes effect at 19:00 GMT Wednesday, Egypt's foreign minister says.

Nov. 21, 17:40 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has agreed to Egypt's truce proposal, and confirmed the ceasefire deal.

Nov. 21, 17:20 GMT: Egyptian, Palestinian and Israeli sources confirm that a Gaza ceasefire deal has been reached, Al Arabiya reports. Israel will maintain its siege of Gaza despite the truce, Al Jazeera reports.

Nov. 21, 17:12 GMT: The IDF reported that it has targeted more than fifty "terror" sites on Wednesday, including tunnels, underground rocket launchers and Hamas command centers.

Nov. 21, 17:06 GMT: Erez Crossing was opened for medical supplies on Wednesday, the IDF reports on Twitter. The supplies usually enter through Kerem Shalom, which was closed Tuesday due to rocket fire.

Nov. 21, 17:01 GMT: A Gaza government complex has been destroyed in a series of airstrikes, RT's Paula Slier reports, citing Al Jazeera. The Abu Khadra complex was reportedly reduced to rubble after more than half a dozen rockets were fired at it. The complex wasn't used by Hamas, but was considered as a part of infrastructure by Israelis, Al Jazeera added.

Nov. 21, 16:30 GMT: The injury count in the Tel Aviv bus blast has risen to 28, RT’s Paula Slier reports. Most of the victims are being treated for shock, but some suffered physical injuries as well, a hospital report says.

Nov. 21, 15:53 GMT: Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouk has condemned the killing of six Palestinians who were allegedly spying for Israel. Abu Marzouk called the murders "unlawful," and called for the killers to be punished. The six Palestinians were suspected of recording footage of Hamas military positions and transmitting it to Israel.

Nov. 21, 15:45 GMT: The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the bombing in Tel Aviv, calling it a "criminal terrorist act" in a statement issued Wednesday. The ministry also expressed sympathy for the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.

Nov. 21, 15:17 GMT: Iran has confirmed it sent military aid to Hamas. Tehran is “proud to defend the people of Palestine and Hamas,” Iranian speaker of parliament Ali Larijani said in a statement on parliament’s website, without elaborating. Iran has also provided “technical assistance” to Hamas and shared with them the technology for the longer-range ‘Fajr 5’ missiles, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said. However, Iran has not directly shipped missiles to Gaza, he said.

Nov. 21, 14:12 GMT: AFP’s Gaza bureau was hit by an Israeli air strike, AFP reporter Sara Hussein said. One person was killed, but no AFP staffers were injured, Hussein reported. The strike followed yesterday’s attack on the same Gaza media center, which killed three Palestinian journalists.

Nov. 21, 13:42 GMT: Report from Shifa hospital says a 6 year old boy was killed and 2 injured in the latest Gaza strike. The strike targeted Islamic Jihad office in Gaza, IDF said.

Nov. 21, 13:24 GMT: Hamas claims they do not know who is behind the Tel Aviv bus explosion, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told RIA Novosti. Abu Zuhri suggested Palestinian militant groups might take responsibility for the bombing. A Palestinian radio station reported that the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a terror organization affiliated with Fatah, claimed to be responsible for the terrorist attack.

Nov. 21, 13:10 GMT: The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived in Cairo for peace talks, condemns the Tel Aviv bus explosion calling it an act of terror.

Nov. 21, 12:40 GMT: At least 6 people were killed as IAF pounded Gaza targets, RT's Paula Slier reports.

Nov. 21, 12:00 GMT: The Senior Cabinet of the Israeli government, consisting of nine key ministers, is holding a meeting on the ongoing situation.

Nov. 21, 11:51 GMT: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed hopes that a ceasefire agreement could be reached before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finishes her visit to the region. Abbas held a meeting with Clinton in Ramallah on Wednesday.

Nov. 21, 11:38 GMT: Multiple explosions shake Gaza on the eighth day of Israel’s ‘Pillar of Defense’ military operation against Hamas.

Nov. 21, 11:20 GMT: Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri praised the Tel Aviv bus bombing to the press, but did not say Hamas was behind it. He dubbed the attack as “a natural response to the Israeli massacres…in Gaza.”

Nov. 21, 11:12 GMT:An eyewitness in Tel Aviv says he "saw the bomber enter the bus, throw device towards back of the vehicle & run off.”

Nov. 21, 11:06GMT: Police arrested a bombing suspect near the Ramat Gan diamond exchange, but released him shortly afterwards.

Nov. 21, 10:55 GMT:IDF spokesperson Avital Leibovich says on her Twitter that bus explosion happened “under my Tel Aviv office.”

Nov. 21, 10:40 GMT: Tel Aviv police are searching for two suspects in connection with the bus bombing that has hospitalized more than 15 people.

Nov. 21, 10:37 GMT: A second unexploded incendiary device has been found on the bombed bus in Tel Aviv. Police are now searching the area for the terrorist who perpetrated the attack.

Nov. 21, 10:23 GMT: A bomb attack on a bus in Tel Aviv has left more than 15 injured with three severely wounded. The police have confirmed that the explosion was the product of a terrorist attack.

Nov. 21, 10:09 GMT: If a ceasefire is reached, it should be the first step in an end to Israel’s occupation of Gaza, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas wrote on Twitter during his meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ban believes that “negotiations are [the] best way forward,” Abbas said.

Nov. 21, 09:45 GMT: The Kerem Shalom crossing, the only freight crossing into the Gaza Strip, is reportedly closed for the eighth straight day. Palestinian crossings official Raed Fattouh said that Israeli authorities had closed Kerem Shalom for security reasons, Ma’an news agency said.

Nov. 21, 09:20 GMT: Israeli Defense Forces have been instructed to continue the offensive on Gaza while peace talks take place in Egypt, RT’s Paula Slier wrote on Twitter. The IDF has also reportedly hit hard against Hamas’ long-range rocket capabilities.

Nov.21, 08:39 GMT: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in the West Bank for talks with the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Nov. 21, 07:09 GMT: An IDF ground invasion of Gaza is unlikely before the Israeli elections, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said. “The government cannot make such a decision [invasion] two months before elections," Lieberman told Ynet. “We should leave this decision for the next government.”“After a week of suffering, [we want] at least five or six years of quiet, stability and security,” he said.

Nov. 21, 06:43 GMT: "The rocket attacks from terrorist organizations inside Gaza on Israeli cities and towns must end," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Tel Aviv. Clinton is currently in Israel to conduct talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push for an end to the violence with Gaza.

Nov. 21, 05:50 GMT: Four rockets have struck an open area in the region of Eshkol in southern Israel, RT’s Paula Slier wrote on Twitter. Another two rockets were intercepted by Iron Dome before they hit the coastal city of Ashkelon.

Nov. 21, 05:42 GMT: Jordan’s king Abdullah II has called on Egyptian President Morsi to redouble his efforts to stop the Israel-Gaza conflict. Abdullah warned that a further escalation of violence would have grave consequences for the stability of the entire Middle East.

Nov. 21, 01:50 GMT: With over 140 people killed and more than 1,000 injured in the conflict so far, nurses at the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza say that women and children make up the majority of casualties.“Women and children outnumbered men, especially with the new wave [of attacks] targeting houses and civilian buildings,” Ibrahim Jirjawi, a nurse on the orthopedic ward, told the Electronic Intifada website.Nov. 21, 0:43 GMT: The Al-Qassam Brigades have warned Israelis to stay away from Israeli soldiers and military personnel, responding to a tweet by the Israeli army warning journalists to stay away from Hamas-affiliated people.

Nov. 20, 23:56 GMT: Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has reportedly hacked Israeli TV channels 2 and 10, briefly interrupting the broadcast to send a message urging the Israeli army not to invade Gaza.Nov. 20, 23:38 GMT: A series of massive explosions are being reported near the Al Shorook building in Gaza, which houses several media outlets. The explosions have been followed by a blackout in most of Gaza City.Nov. 20, 23:01 GMT: After meeting with Clinton, the Israeli Prime Minister said that “if there is a possibility of achieving a long-term solution” to the Gaza conflict he prefers that. But if not, Netanyahu added, “I'm sure you understand that Israel will have to take whatever action is necessary to defend its people.”

Nov. 20, 21:50 GMT: A building housing the Agence France-Presse office in Gaza has been hit by an Israeli airstrike, the MENA photo manager for AFP Patrick Baz tweeted. All AFP journalists are reportedly safe. Three Palestinian reporters killed in earlier attacks.Nov. 20, 21:04 GMT: US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has arrived in Tel Aviv and to meet with the Israeli prime minister. She is not expected though to meet with Hamas leaders.“America's commitment to Israel’s security is rock-solid and unwavering,” Clinton told the press before the closed-door meeting with Netanyahu. “We appreciate President Morsi's personal leadership and Egypt's efforts thus far,” she added.

Nov. 20, 20:21 GMT: Israel's negotiation team has reportedly rejected a draft ceasefire and delayed a press conference to announce the truce indefinitely, the Times of Israel reports, citing local media.

Nov. 20, 20:14 GMT:Gaza truce delayed as Israel fails to respond to proposals.Nov. 20, 20:02 GMT: US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has landed in Tel Aviv and is expected to meet with Netanyahu shortly.

Nov. 20, 19:20 GMT: The Israeli Defense Ministry said a civilian was killed by rocket fire from Gaza. An IDF soldier was killed in a separate mortar attack in the morning, bringing the Israeli death toll to five.Nov. 20, 19:00 GMT: The IDF says it has targeted “20 terror sites” in the Gaza Strip over the last hour. Israel has conducted over 1,350 aerial and sea attacks against Gaza since Operation Pillar of Defense began on November 14.Nov. 20, 18:55 GMT: More explosions and heavy shelling are being reported from Gaza. Some of the areas targeted are those where IAF leaflets were dropped earlier, RT's Paula Slier reports.

Nov. 20, 18:15 GMT: On Friday the Knesset, Israel's parliament, has approved a request by of the IDF to raise the number of army reservists called up for the operation to 70,000. On Friday, the move was approved by the cabinet.Nov. 20, 18:00 GMT: The IDF acknowledged the death of an Israeli soldier as a result of a rocket attack on Eshkol, an Israeli TV channel was quoted by Naharnet. The soldier was identified as 18-year old Yosef Fartuk. This brings the Israeli death toll from the assault on Gaza to 4.Nov. 20, 17:40 GMT: Sources in Jerusalem say Israel "hasn't agreed to any version of a ceasefire deal" with Gazan factions, RT's Paula Slier reports from Israel.Nov. 20, 16:46 GMT: Six men accused of collaboration with Israel have been publicly executed in Gaza City, AP reports. They were shot dead at a busy intersection, with Hamas' military wing claiming responsibility.Nov. 20, 16:36 GMT: An Israeli airstrike has killed two journalists working for the Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV station, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, reported on Twitter.

Nov. 20, 16:30 GMT: The Moroccan-brokered statement calling for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Gaza conflict was not adopted as the deadline passed, RT's sources at the UN report. The document was to be adopted automatically if no UN Security Council member speaks against it before 14:00 GMT.Nov. 20, 16:20 GMT: A rocket fired from Gaza directly hit a building in the central Israeli city of Rishon LeZion, the Israeli Defense Force said via twitter.Nov. 20, 16: 10 GMT: Israel and Hamas have agreed to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, to begin at 22:00 GMT Tuesday, Hamas' Ayman Taha says from Cairo.Nov. 20, 16: 05 GMT: At least nine Palestinians have been killed since the Arab League delegation arrived in Gaza to express solidarity, Hamas' military wing says.Nov. 20, 16: 00 GMT: A Hamas spokesman in Cairo has announced that a ceasefire will come into effect on Tuesday night, BBC sources report. Israeli officials have not commented on the statement.Nov. 20, 15: 50 GMT: Netanyahu also said that “if a long-term solution can be put in place through diplomatic means, then Israel would be a willing partner for such a solution,” but maintained that Israel would not tolerate rocket attacks from Gaza.Nov. 20, 15: 48 GMT: Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will act to defend its people “if stronger military action proves necessary,” while Ban “strongly” cautioned against a ground operation, which would result in further civilian casualties.Nov. 20, 15: 40 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are giving addresses ahead of their talks.

Nov. 20, 15: 00 GMT: At least six Palestinians were killed in an airstrike that hit two cars, bringing Tuesday’s death toll to 13, RT’s Paula Slier reports.Nov. 20, 14: 23 GMT: A short while ago, 5 IDF soldiers were wounded by a rocket fired from Gaza into Israel, according to an IDF spokesman. Nov. 20, 13: 58 GMT: Egypt's foreign minister from Gaza: We are committed to lifting the blockade off the Strip, according to naharnet.com, the Lebanese news journal. Nov. 20, 13: 51 GMT: If Israel is forced into ground operation in Gaza, it won't be a limited one, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, AFP reports. Nov. 20, 13: 49 GMT: The IDF dropped flyers on Gaza telling residents of some Gaza city neighborhoods to evacuate ‘immediately’ to the city center, TV station Ch. 2 Israel reported.Nov.20, 13: 42 GMT: A barrage of rockets lands at Yad Mordechai in Israel, setting off car alarms, according to the BBC.

Nov. 20, 13:25 GMT: Egyptian President Morsi says he is expecting the aggression to end on Tuesday with the Palestinians and Israelis reaching a ceasefire.

Nov. 20, 13:14 GMT: The Arab League delegation, led by Nabil Arabi, arrived at the Rafah border crossing in a show of solidarity with Palestinian people.

Nov. 20, 12:54 GMT: Sirens are sounding in Ashkelon, a coastal city some 50 kilometers from Tel Aviv, RT`s Paula Slier reports.

Nov. 20, 12:43 GMT: Hague argued that there is no military solution to the crisis in Gaza, or to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also warned that a ground invasion of Gaza could lengthen the conflict, increase civilian casualties and erode international support for Israel.

Nov. 20, 12:38 GMT: British Foreign Minister William Hague is now speaking about Gaza in the House of Commons.

Nov. 20, 12:30 GMT: A rocket strike hit the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israeli media reported. The rocket landed in an uninhabited area, no injuries or casualties were reported.

Nov. 20, 12:015 GMT: Israel will "pay a heavy price" if it commits to a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, top Hamas commander Mohammed Deif said in an audio recording broadcast by Hamas-affiliated television station Al-Aqsa.

Nov. 20, 12:05 GMT: Israel has rejected a ceasefire agreement that stipulated the lifting of the blockade on Gaza and the end of the IDF’s targeted killing policy, RT’s Paula Slier said quoting Lebanese media reports.

Nov. 20, 11:46 GMT: The latests Israeli air strikes have killed a further six people in Gaza, pushing the death toll up to 116. Over 920 Gazans have been injured so far in Israel's 'Pillar of Defense'military campaign.

Nov. 20, 11:35 GMT: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Israel for “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza and “violating international law.” He said that the repeated missile attacks on Palestinian territory could not be justified as self-defense and that “sooner or later, Israel will answer for the innocent blood it has shed so far.’’

Nov. 20, 11:24 GMT: The IDF’s ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense system has proved to be more effective than previously thought, having intercepted over 300 missiles with a success rate of 80 to 90 percent, the New York Times reported, citing top Israeli officials.

Nov. 20, 11:09 GMT: Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah has called on all Arab states to supply Hamas with weapons, RT’s Middle East Bureau Chief Paula Slier wrote on Twitter.

Nov. 20, 11:19 GMT: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will carry out talks with members of the Palestinian Authority during her trip to Gaza on Wednesday, but will not be meeting with representatives of Hamas.

Nov. 20, 09:19 GMT: An armed attack on the US Embassy in Tel Aviv has left one injured. The assailant was armed with either a knife or axe and was shot before being taken into custody by police, Israeli Channel 10.

Nov. 20, 08:28 GMT: The IDF has carried out an air strike on Gaza’s National Islamic Bank, almost totally destroying it. Israel maintains that the Palestinians use the bank to finance Hamas.

Nov. 20, 08:05 GMT: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged both sides of the Gaza conflict to enact an immediate ceasefire. During a press conference in Cairo on Tuesday, Ban warned that “further escalating the situation will put the entire region at risk.” At least 109 Palestinians and three Israelis have been killed as of the sixth day of the conflict.

Nov. 20, 07:40 GMT: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to arrive in Israel late Tuesday, and will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks on Wednesday. She is also set to visit Ramallah and Cairo to discuss the Gaza crisis.

Nov. 20, 06:06 GMT: Israeli police were placed on high alert after receiving warnings of terror attacks possibly being planned to strike inside Israel, RT’s Paula Slier wrote on Twitter.

Nov. 20, 05:58 GMT: Israeli President Shimon Peres has accused Iran of inciting Hamas to continue rocket attacks on Israel rather than negotiate. “They finance, they train, they send arms, they urge, no responsibility, no moral consideration,” Peres said in an interview with CNN.

Nov. 20 05:08 GMT: The US is sending three warships into the eastern Mediterranean in case they are needed for the evacuation of American citizens from Israel during the coming days, US officials have told CNN. The government sources stressed the ships’ presence was aimed at assisting Americans and not combat.

Nov. 20, 0:12 GMT: Al-Qassam Brigades have shelled the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat with 5 Grad missiles. Another five missiles have been fired at al Majdal village. Some of the rockets have been intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome.

Nov. 19, 23:26 GMT: Israeli military have carried out two airstrikes on Gaza. One of the explosions reportedly hit a courthouse. Another one hit the Islamic National Bank injuring at least four people.

Nov. 19, 23:03 GMT: Israeli artillery based on the northern border of Gaza is shelling agricultural lands and homes in the town of Beit Hanoun, Al-Qassam Brigades say. Meanwhile Israeli warplanes have reportedly conducted an airstrike on Rafah city.

Nov. 19, 22:37 GMT: Two Palestinians have reportedly been killed and 14 injured in an Israeli air strike that hit the house of the al Nasasra family in the southern Gaza city of Rafa. It brings the number of fatalities to 110, Al-Qassam Brigades say.

Nov. 19, 20:26 GMT: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has criticized Arab countries for sending military equipment to Syria, but not helping Gaza "with one bullet.” Nasrallah said Arab nations should have contributed to “arming Gaza and supporting its fighters instead of calling for mediation between it and the Israeli enemy.”

Nov. 19, 17:35 GMT: A senior Egyptian official has reportedly told Haaretz that Cairo is very close to brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. He said further cooperation from Israel was needed to help bring an end to the current hostilities.Nov. 19, 17:30 GMT: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Cairo in a bid to bolster Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Ki-Moon is set to meet with both Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Nov. 19, 17:00 GMT: The death toll in Israel’s ongoing Pillar of Defense operation in Gaza stands at 101 following an Israeli airstrike east of the al-Bureij refugee camp which killed two. The dead were taken to the al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, a local emergency services statement read.

Nov. 19, 15:10 GMT: The International Federation of Journalists demanded a full inquiry by the United Nations to investigate “deliberate attacks” by the Israeli military against media buildings in Gaza.

Nov. 19, 14:40 GMT: Islamic Jihad says one of its top militant leaders, Ramiz Harb was killed in the airstrike on the Al-Sharouk media compound.Nov. 19, 14:35 GMT: Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told a media conference the Islamic resistance movement has no interest in an escalation of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He says Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and not Hamas has called for a ceasefire.

Nov. 19, 14:20 GMT: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has targeted the Al-Sharouk compound, which houses local and foreign media outlets, for a second day straight. One person was reportedly killed and several more injured in the attack.

Nov. 19, 13:59 GMT: Palestinians and Israelis agree on a truce but disagree on implementation, Al Arabiya sources report.Nov. 19, 13:30 GMT: US President Barack Obama has reportedly given Egypt President Mohamed Morsi 24 hours to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas, an Egyptian source told Reuters.

Nov. 19, 13:30 GMT: Rival Palestinian faction Fatah – which maintains control of the West Bank – has closed ranks with Hamas over the ongoing Gaza crisis. Top Hamas and Fatah officials gathered at a thousand-strong rally in Ramallah, the West Bank’s political capital, in a show of solidarity. Senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub told the crowd “we are ending the division,” and Hamas leader Mahmud Ramahi said anyone who mentions “the division after today is a criminal,” AFP cites them as saying.Nov. 19, 13:12 GMT: Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil told Reuters a truce might soon be reached in Gaza.

Nov. 19, 12:50 GMT: The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement urging an immediate ceasefire between the Israeli military and militants in the Gaza Strip to stop the violence from further spiraling out of control. Moscow promised to work through the Quartet on the Middle East – the United Nations, the United States, Russia, and the European Union – and the UNSC to help normalize the situation in Gaza. It also welcomed peace efforts carried out by Egypt.Nov. 19, 12:01 GMT: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has condemned Israel’s military offensive in Gaza as an “act of terrorism.” (Reuters)

Nov. 19, 11:40 GMT: Israel is poised for a ground invasion of Gaza but prefers to pursue a diplomatic solution for the time being, an official close to PM Netanyahu has said.

Nov. 19, 10:29 GMT: The death toll in Gaza has risen to 95 people, 23 of which are children, report Palestinian medical officials.

Nov. 19, 09:23 GMT: Although progress has been made in the weekend talks between Hamas and Israel in Cairo, an imminent ceasefire looks “unlikely,” said senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath to Palestinian news agency Ma’an. He stressed that Israel was trying to impose its own conditions while ignoring those of Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

Nov. 19, 09:00 GMT: A rocket has slammed into a school in Ashkelon, southern Israel, causing significant damage. The building was empty at the time of the attack, tweets RT’s Paula Slier.

Nov. 19, 08:51 GMT: The death toll on the sixth day of the Israeli offensive into Gaza has risen to 84 Palestinians, despite calls for a ceasefire. Three Israelis have been killed so far in rocket fire from the Gaza strip.

Nov. 19, 07:13 GMT: Israel has warned Hamas that it will step up its offensive in the Gaza Strip in 36 hours if they do not cease rocket fire and arms smuggling. Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz told IDF radio that the time left before Israel escalates its attacks can be measured in “hours, not days.”

Nov.19,06:55 GMT: Israel is rerouting flights from Tel Aviv airport as a safety measure after rockets were fired at the coastal city from Gaza, announced the country’s civil aviation chief on Israel’s Army Radio.

Nov.19, 06:39 GMT: Over 90 per cent of Israeli Jews support the IDF’s Pillar of Defense operation in Gaza, according to a poll carried out by Israeli publication Haaretz. The poll also notes that only 30 per cent of the public is in favor of a ground invasion.

Nov.19, 05:55 GMT: The IDF say that they have opened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza despite rocket fire and are delivering 124 trucks of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, food, and gas.

Nov. 19 05:37 GMT: Hamas spokesperson, Ghazi Hamad says that 90 per cent of the terms of ceasefire between Israel and Gaza have been agreed upon in a meeting in Egypt, reports AlJazeera.

Nov. 19, 05:23 GMT: Palestinian sources report that 29 people, including women and children, died in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, tweets RT’s Paula Slier. The IDF says that attacks on Sunday night targeted “underground rocket launchers, terror tunnels and training bases.”

Nov. 19, 05:15 GMT: The IDF has released a statement, decrying Hamas’ use of the civilian population in Gaza to hide themselves as “undoubtedly a war crime.” The statement also claimed that if there are civilian casualties then Hamas is to blame for purposely orchestrating them.

Nov. 19, 03:40 GMT: Palestinian death toll rises to at least 82 as the Israeli Air Force continues to batter the Gaza Strip with airstrikes for the sixth day.

Nov. 19, 02:40 GMT: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged both Israeli and Hamas officials to implement an immediate ceasefire. “I am heading to the region to appeal personally for an end to the violence and contribute to ongoing efforts to achieve that,” he said in a statement.

Nov. 19, 02:19 GMT: More than 90 per cent of Israeli Jews support Operation Pillar of Defense, as the assault on Gaza is known, a Haaretz poll shows. However, only 30 per cent reported support for a ground invasion of Gaza.

Nov. 19, 01:44 GMT: BBC journalists Jon Donnison and Paul Danahar, who are in the area, both report a massive barrage on Northern Gaza by the Israeli Navy. "Dozens of shells fired in last few minutes," @JonDonnison tweeted.

Nov. 19, 01:08 GMT: The Palestinian Authority has urged the Arab League to convene an emergency summit to discuss Israel’s assault on Gaza, the League’s secretariat says.

Nov. 19, 00:25 GMT: Palestinian media report three people have been killed in an Israeli Air Force strike on Rafah's Miraj neighborhood. The deaths include a 60-year-old woman, a 20-year-old man and a third unidentified person.

Nov. 18, 23:15 GMT: Watch the latest developments in Gaza from film-maker and activist Harry Fear who spoke to RT from the besieged territory.

Nov. 18, 22:58 GMT: Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, say they launched 192 missiles at Israel on Sunday, adding that one hit north Herzliya (Tel Aviv District) for the first time. The total number of missiles launched at Israel since the beginning of Israel’s offensive is 1093, they said in their Twitter account.

Nov. 18, 22:10 GMT: Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli airstrikes has reached at least 75, as 26 people have been killed on Sunday, among them five babies and toddlers.

Nov. 18, 21:20 GMT: IDF spokesman claims Hamas’ rocket-launching capability has declined. He added that “hundreds of rockets launched from Gaza today against Israel actually fell inside the Gaza Strip”.

Nov. 18, 21:00 GMT: About 500 Egyptian activists have crossed the border into Gaza with medical supplies for the locals facing Israeli attack.

Nov. 18, 20:55 GMT: Two explosions heard in Eilat, Israel, RT’s Paula Slier reports.

Nov. 18, 20:50 GMT: Egyptian sources say Gaza peace talks are continuing despite earlier reports negotiations had failed, Haaretz reports. The sources say the Egyptians are pushing various Palestinian factions to overcome their differences.

Nov. 18, 19:58 GMT: The death toll in the IDF attack on a house in the northern Gaza Strip rises to 12, as Haaretz reports.

Nov. 18, 16:32 GMT: The US embassy in Israel has suspended consular services and instructed workers to keep children home from schools in areas located south of Herzliya. Embassy employees in Be'er Sheva have been temporarily moved north to Herzliya.

Nov. 18, 17:46 GMT: Hamas official Abu Zahri says that ceasefire negotiations in Cairo have failed.Nov. 18, 16:52 GMT: Both rockets fired at Gush Dan intercepted successfully by Iron Dome, as RT Paula Slier reports.Nov. 18, 16:44 GMT: Three blasts heard in Tel Aviv.Nov. 18, 16:25 GMT: Al-Qassam Brigades say Palestinians have shot down an Israeli Apache helicopter.Nov. 18, 15:28 GMT: Palestinian death toll rises to 65 people after the latest Israeli strike.

Nov. 18, 15:16 GMT: The IDF says just 302 of 846 Gaza missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, adding that there were also 99 rockets that couldn’t make it out of Gaza’s airspace and went off within its territory.

Nov. 18. 14:57 GMT: A three-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy are among ten people killed in a fresh strike on Beit Lahiya. The strike hit a three-story home, which Hamas security officials say is owned by a family that has members involved in militant rocket squads. It is unknown whether militants were in or near the house at the time of the strike.

Nov. 18. 14:06 GMT: The head of the Hamas rocket program in Gaza Yehiya Rabiah has been killed in a precise targeted operation by the IDF. Nov. 18. 13:50 GMT: Egyptian security officials say a senior Israeli official has arrived in Cairo for talks on reaching a cease-fire to end an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. (AP)

Nov. 18, 13:06 GMT: The recent deaths in the Sheikh Radjwan area of Gaza City bring the death toll to 55.Nov. 18, 13:05 GMT: Two women are among the three killed in a new strike on the Sheikh Radjwan area of Gaza City. Several have been injured, Al Arabiya reports.

Nov. 18, 13:00 GMT: President Obama says "We are fully supportive of Israel's right to defend itself'", discussing Gaza crisis during his Thailand visit. The US President also says will know in the next 36 to 48 hours whether progress can be made in halting Gaza crisis.

Nov. 18, 12:44 GMT: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is expected in Israel on Monday to attempt to advance a cease fire, RT Paula Slier reports.

Nov. 18, 12:34 GMT: Palestinian roving ambassador Afif Safieh tells Sky News channel Gaza conflict is about 'territory not terrorism'; calls Netanyahu a 'pyromaniac'.

Nov. 18, 12:05 GMT: IDF takes over Hamas radio waves, warns Gaza residents, Israeli media reports.Nov. 18, 12:04 GMT: A barrage of at least 15 rockets has been fired at Ashdod, Haaretz reports.

Nov. 18, 11:20 GMT: Israeli Culture and Sport Minster Limor Livnat told Ynet that Israel cannot agree to a ceasefire as "only this morning we saw that Grad rockets are still landing on the southern residents."

Nov. 18, 11:17 GMT: One man was killed, and four wounded in Israeli air strike on a refugee camp in Gaza, Ynet reported, citing sources in Al-Shifa Hospital.

Nov. 18, 10:41 GMT: Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh has gone into hiding due to concerns that Israel wants to assassinate him, a spokesman for the militant group said according to Ynet news. This comes after the Israeli Air Forces bombed his Gaza headquarters on Saturday.Nov. 18, 09:51 GMT: The crew of RT’s Arabic-language sister channel Rusiya Al-Yaum are moving to a new office following an Israeli attack on two media center buildings overnight. Staff members were not at the facility when it was bombed.

Nov. 18, 09:40 GMT: The IDF targeted the site in Gaza from where the rocket was fired at Tel Aviv.

Nov. 18, 09:30 GMT: The Middle East Foreign Press Association demands explanation from the IDF over why its air force targeted media buildings overnight. It said journalists in areas of conflict are considered civilians and must be respected and protected as such under the international law.Nov. 18, 09:09 GMT: A four-storey building in Ashkelon, Israel, was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza. Two people were lightly wounded by shrapnel in the assault. Another rocket landed near a different residential building and damaged parked cars. Two additional missiles that were launched toward the city were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.

Nov. 18, 08:47 GMT: The Iron Dome intercepted the rocket fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv, IDF reported.

Nov. 18, 08:45 GMT: Rocket alerts heard in Tel Aviv, IDF reported.

Nov. 18, 08:44 GMT: Siren is heard in Ashdod and Ashkelon beach, Israel, according to Haaretz.

Nov. 18, 08:22 GMT: Hamas’ Qassam Brigades fired a ‘107 Rocket’ at an Israeli warship, Al Arabiya reported .Nov. 18, 08:06 GMT: An 18-month-old Palestinian boy has been killed in new Israeli airstrike on Gaza, AFP quotes Palestinian medics as saying. Earlier, it was reported that a total of three children have been killed since midnight in Gaza by Israeli shelling, according to the Twitter feed of Reuters correspondent Noah Browning in Palestine/Israel.

Nov. 18, 07:03 GMT:An Israeli airstrike on a media compound has injured at least six journalists, Palestinian medical authorities say. Among the outlets damaged are local, Italian, German, Lebanese and Kuwaiti channels. An IDF report of the strike described the target as “a communications antenna used by Hamas to carry out terror activity against the State of Israel.” Israel sees al-Quds TV as a Hamas propaganda branch.

Nov. 18, 06:56 GMT: Israel’s ambassador to the US has reportedly deleted his tweet, saying that the Israeli government wants to sit and talk with Hamas. Ambassador Michael Oren said his tweet was “sent erroneously by a staffer,” Haaretz reports, quoting the website BuzzFeed.com. The post was allegedly written after the ambassador gave an interview to CNN.

Nov. 18, 03:43 GMT: The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations has urged the Security Council to take action on the Gaza bombardment, Maan news agency reports. Riyad Mansour has written letters to UN chief Ban Ki-moon and the presidents of the Security Council and General Assembly, stressing that Israel's military operation breaches the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Nov. 18, 03:30 GMT: The World Health Organization (WHO) said in statement that it was already worried about a shortfall in medical supplies before the bombardment because of the long standing Israeli siege of the strip. Gazan hospitals now have to deal with the growing number of casualties with a critical shortage of drugs and disposables. WHO has appealed to the international and regional community to provide financial support for essential medicines to treat causalities and the chronically ill.

Nov. 18, 02:40 GMT:The video showing a massive explosion supposedly caused by an Israeli airstrike in the residential al-Zaytoun quarter of Gaza City on Saturday was uploaded by YouTube user Ahmed Erheem.

Nov. 18, 02:00 GMT: British PM David Cameron has urged Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to do "everything possible" to end the crisis in Gaza, the BBC reports. The British leader also expressed sympathy for the "unacceptable rocket attacks" Israel has suffered from militants.

Nov. 18, 01:25 GMT: At least six journalists have been injured after an Israeli airstrike hit a complex of media offices in Gaza City. The Al-Showa and Housari buildings house a number of foreign and Palestinian media organizations, including Palestinian Maan news agency, Germany's ARD, Kuwait TV and the Italian RAI. Meanwhile the IDF has reported the Israeli Navy targeted “several Hamas terror sites” in the Gaza Strip."At least six journalists were wounded, with minor and moderate injuries, when Israeli warplanes hit the al-Quds TV office in the Showa and Housari building in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City," health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said, AFP reports.

Nov. 18, 00:15 GMT: Israeli warplanes have conducted a series of air strikes across the Gaza Strip, causing numerous casualties, the military wing of Hamas reports. Meanwhile IDF confirms that it has targeted two smuggling tunnels belonging to “terrorist groups" in Gaza.

Nov. 17, 23:30 GMT: Palestinian death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 45, according to Maan news agency.

Nov. 17, 22:05 GMT: The Al Qassam Brigade, the military wing of Hamas, has given a press conference claiming more successful attacks against Israel and vowing they “have a lot of surprises.” "We shot down a warplane over the Gaza sea, which Israel is hiding. We have targeted a sensitive military site in Rishon Lezion near Tel El Rabee city,” the group has claimed.

Nov. 17, 21:50 GMT: Israeli PM Netanyahu tells foreign leaders he would agree to a ceasefire with Hamas if it agrees to halt rocket fire from Gaza.Nov. 17, 21:21 GMT: Benjamin Netanyahu's office denies reports an emissary from Israel has been dispatched to Cairo for ceasefire talks. Nov. 17, 21:17 GMT: RT's correspondent in Tel Aviv Paula Slier says some Arab sources report an Israeli emmisary is en route to Cairo to review a draft agreement for a ceasefire that begins tonight. Nov. 17, 20:59 GMT: Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi told reporters his government was in touch with both Israelis and Palestinians and there were indications they could "soon" reach a truce. Nov. 17, 20:50 GMT: Israeli police plan to “sweep for Palestinians illegally residing in Israel” on Sunday due to security concerns, Haaretz reports.Nov. 17, 20:38 GMT: Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai on the operation in Gaza: "The goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages. Only then will Israel be calm for forty years" – Haaretz

Nov. 17, 19:58 GMT: The IDF has agreed to open the Kerem Shalom Crossing on Sunday to permit deliveries of food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

Nov. 17, 19:51 GMT: Hamas' military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, have tweeted that they will hold an important press conference concerning the situation in the Gaza Strip. Some are speculating that the press conference may be used to announce the outcome of the talks in Cairo. Nov. 17, 19:34 GMT: An Israeli strike on southern Gaza kills two more Palestinians, according to locals and emergency services. Nov. 17, 18:39 GMT: Israeli PM Netanyahu lobbies international community on Gaza operation, informing leaders of Germany, Greece, Italy and the Czech Republic that his country "will not allow a situation where its civilian population is under constant rocket threat."

Nov. 17, 18:35 GMT: King of Jordan calls for "urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza."Nov. 17, 18:09 GMT: Qatar will give $10 million to Egypt to help treat Palestinians wounded in Israeli strikes, according to state media. Nov. 17, 17:48 GMT:Head of Iran's Parliament's National Security Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi has denied his counrty supplied Fajr 5 rockets to Hamas.

Nov. 17, 17:21 GMT: Arab League to send delegation to Gaza on Sunday, November 18.

Nov. 17, 16:49 GMT: Arab League chief Nabil el-Arabi: Israel is committing war crimes against the Palestinian people; massacres must not go unpunished.

Nov. 17, 16: 41 GMT: Mansour says Israelis must be prosecuted in international courts for committing war crimes and the Arab states should freeze their ties with Israel. Nov. 17, 16:37 GMT: Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour tells Arab League the Palestinian people are demanding the Arabs to courageously stand against the assault.Nov. 17, 16:35 GMT:Arab League's Foreign Ministers gather for emergency meeting in Cairo to discuss Israeli strikes on Gaza.

Nov. 17, 15:58 GMT: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has expressed readiness to visit the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, Press TV reports.Nov. 17, 15:38 GMT: White House reports: US believes Israelis have the right to self defense and to make their own military decisions. President Obama called Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan about bringing an end to violence in Israel.

Nov. 17, 14:57 GMT: Air raid sirens being heard in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Nov. 17, 14:51 GMT: Reports of air raid sirens and an explosion in Tel Aviv. The rocket was intercepted by Iron Dome, according to Israeli radio. Nov. 17, 14:17 GMT: Israeli Minister Avi Dichter says that only a few rockets threaten Tel Aviv, unlike greater danger facing towns in Israel's south, Haaretz reports.Nov. 17, 13:45 GMT: A Palestinian man has died of wounds sustained on Saturday in Gaza City. This brings the death toll to 40 people since Wednesday.

Nov. 17, 13:28 GMT: 500 people are marching in a Nazareth parade to protest against the IDF operation in Gaza. The march was organized by Israel's Hadash party.

Nov. 17, 12:55 GMT:Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemns Israel's air strikes on Gaza, a statement from his office says, as Al Jazeera reports.

Nov. 17, 12:53 GMT: Five rockets have fallen in open spaces in the Eshkol Regional Council. No one wounded.Nov. 17, 12:31 GMT: Meretz party chairwoman Zahava Gal-On has warned of a ground invasion of Gaza, stating that the Israeli government must instead partake in negotiations with Hamas via Egyptian or international mediators. "This is the correct, effective way to guard the citizens of Israel," she said.She said the Israeli leadership is "trying to drag us into another war of deception…Experience shows that ground operations are an assurance for a bloody chaos."

Nov. 17, 12:30 GMT: Hamas head Khaled Meshla and Islamic Jihad leader Ramdan Shalah are meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Qatar’s Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Nov. 17, 12:13 GMT: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is holding a consultation meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and army officials in Tel Aviv, Haaretz reports. Nov. 17, 11:52 GMT: Hamas is preventing foreign nationals – including 22 journalists – from leaving the Gaza Strip, DPA reports.Nov. 17, 11:41 GMT: Four rockets from Gaza hit Ashdod, Israel; three out of four actually hit targets: a house, car and the third landed near a kindergarten, IDF reported.

Nov 17, 11:03 GMT: Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem during his visit to Gaza tells Israel to halt aggression as it is unacceptable.

Nov 17, 10:39 GMT: Chief of Staff Benny Gantz has ordered the IDF to increase the pace of strikes on Gaza, following an assessment meeting in Tel Aviv’s headquarters, YNet reported.

Nov 17, 10:13 GMT: Unconfirmed reports that the IDF has begun artillery strikes on Gaza from tanks positioned on the border.

Nov 17, 09:54 GMT: The Tunisian Foreign Minister during his visit to Gaza reassured that Tunisia will work together in Arab League, which meets later on Saturday, and UN to stop Israel’s aggression.

Nov. 17, 08:52 GMT: Islamic University in Gaza is targeted by Israeli air attack, Al Arabiya reported.

Nov. 17, 08:05 GMT: One Israeli soldier has been injured after a rocket hit the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, AlJazeera reported.

Nov. 17, 08:03 GMT: Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem has arrived in Gaza along with 10 other ministers.

Nov. 17, 05:01 GMT: An Israeli airstrike has hit Hamas’ cabinet headquarters in Gaza as the Israeli assault enters its fourth day, IDF reported. Reportedly, three Palestinians died in the strike, the HQ was completely destroyed and neighboring houses damaged.

Nov. 17, 05:00 GMT:Overnight Israel’s military targeted 85 more “terror sites in Gaza”, the IDF reported.

Nov. 17, 00:20 GMT: US President Barack Obama has reiterated “US support for Israel’s right to self-defense.” Obama discussed the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday. He also expressed regret over the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives.

Nov. 16, 23:54 GMT: Senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk has told Maan news agency that he does not expect a ceasefire soon. "There are many calls for a truce but it will not be soon," he said.

Nov. 16, 23:40 GMT: The hacktivist group, Anonymous, has claimed it has attacked the website of the Israeli government, www.tel-aviv.gov.il. The website was unavailable as of Saturday morning. The group also claimed it deleted a database at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cyber attacks come as a part of the so called #OpIsrael launched by Anonymous to rally support for the Palestinians.

Nov. 16, 22:35 GMT: Five more Palestinians killed by IDF, bringing the Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks to 29 – Palestinian medical sources.

Nov. 16, 22:30 GMT: The United Nations has voiced concern about the number of child casualties resulting from Israel’s bombing of Gaza. At least 4 Palestinian children have been killed and over 60 injured since Wednesday in Israeli airstrikes according to the UN. The organization also believes that 50 Israeli civilians including children have been injured by Hamas rockets fired into Israel.

Nov. 16, 22:10 GMT: IDF confirms it targeted two senior Hamas operatives: Muhammad Abu-Jalal, Company Commander in central Gaza and Khaled Shah'yer, chief missile operator.

Nov. 16, 21:16 GMT: Israeli Cabinet approves mobilization of 75,000 reserve soldiers as assault on Gaza is intensifying, Haaretz reports.

Nov. 16, 20:48 GMT: Hamas field commander Ahmed Abu Jalal has been killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, AFP reports citing security sources.

Nov. 16, 19:34 GMT: Israel's Channel 10 claims that senior Defense official Amos Gilad is in contact with Egyptian officials in a bid to reach a ceasefire that might be achieved within 24 hours. Nov. 16, 18:22 GMT: Israeli army announces it's closing three major roads around the Gaza Strip and declaring them closed military zones.Nov 16, 18:03 GMT: Hamas health ministry says 3 people have been killed this evening, bringing the total number of casualties in Gaza to since at least 27, including 7 children. Nov. 16, 17:47 GMT: Israeli Defense Minister approves expansion of draft to more than 75,000 army reservists; request was transferred to the approval of the government, reports Channel 2.Nov. 16, 17:11 GMT: Palestinian President Abbas says Israeli aggression is aimed at preventing an independent Palestinian state.Nov. 16, 16:49 GMT: Hospitals in Israel have reportedly been given emergency protocols. All who are not in need of urgent care are being sent home.Nov. 16, 16:17 GMT: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has expanded on the call-up of over 30,000 reserve soldiers."The defense minister has this evening ordered the mobilization of new reserve forces," a spokesperson told AFP. Nov. 16, 14:59 GMT: RT's Tom Barton says local media reports hearing three rocket explosions over Jerusalem. Nov. 16, 14:57 GMT: Air raid sirens sound over Jerusalem.

Nov 16., 13:42 GMT: IDF resumes Gaza strikes after halting attacks over Egyptian PM's visit. Nov. 16, 12:56 GMT: In a telephone conversation with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he supports Egypt’s efforts aimed at normalizing the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Kremlin press service said. The Russian president called on opposing sides of the conflict to stop the use of force which claims the lives of innocent civilians and show restraint. It was agreed between the presidents that Morsi will visit Russia.

Nov. 16, 12:38 GMT: Al-Qassam Brigades says one Palestinian has been killed, another seriously injured in an Israeli air strike on the Al Zaytoon neighborhood east of Gaza City. Nov. 16, 12:22 GMT: IDF says 500 targets in Gaza have been attacked since 'Operation Pillar of Defense' began.Nov. 16, 12:17 GMT: British Foreign Secretary William Hague told a BBC radio show, "Israel does have to bear in mind that it is when ground invasions have taken place in previous conflicts that they have lost international support and a great deal of sympathy around the world."Earlier, Hague stated that Hamas "bears principal responsibility" for the conflict between Gaza and Israel, and should move to cease attacks on Israeli territory. He appealed to Israel to do its utmost to “avoid the risk of a spiral of violence."Nov. 16, 12:13 GMT: Al-Qassam brigades say they are shelling occupied Al Majdal with two Grad missiles.Nov. 16, 12:10 GMT: Al-Qassam brigades say they are bombing occupied Ashdod with seven Grad missiles.Nov. 16, 12:06 GMT: An IDF spokesperson says a new rocket has not hit Tel Aviv, but that 340 rockets have hit Israel since ‘Operation Pillar of Defense’ began. Nov. 16, 12:04 GMT: AFP reports that the power is out in its Gaza office, and that it is running on a backup generator. Employees say they feel the pressure of displaced air pushing through the open windows in the office. Nov. 16, 11:57 GMT: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will speak on the phone with US President Barak Obama to discuss the ongoing strikes on Gaza by Israel, the Daily Hurriyet reports. “We stand by our Gazan friends here as the Turkish government,” Erdogan said. He added that Israel had started striking Gaza and killing innocent people using fictional excuses ahead of elections, as had happened prior to the 2008 election. “I will have a phone conversation with Obama. I will share these thoughts with him,” he said.

Nov. 16, 11:48 GMT: Egyptian President Muhamed Morsi has denounced Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip as a "blatant aggression against humanity" and said Cairo "would not leave Gaza on its own," the state news agency MENA reported.Nov. 16, 11:45 GMT: Two of the six rockets have seemingly been shot down by Iron Dome, @JonDonnison reports.Nov. 16, 11:43 GMT: A battery of six rockets have reportedly been fired from north of Gaza City towards Israel, according to Twitter user @JonDonnison.Nov. 16, 11:41 GMT: All public shelters being unlocked in Tel Aviv and being made available, following rocket launches at the city.Nov. 16, 11:32 GMT: Al-Qassam says it hit a military jeep with an anti-tank guided missile east of al-Bureij. Nov. 16, 11:29 GMT: Al-Qassam brigades in Gaza say they have fired a long-range missile towards the Israeli parliament. The IDF, however, denies the information.Nov. 16, 10:28 GMT: Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem is set to visit Gaza on Saturday. Nov. 16, 10:12 GMT: The Guardian’s journalist Harriet Sherwood tweets that medics at the Gaza City's Shifa hospital say there are no more ICU beds. They are now trying to evacuate patients to Egypt. Nov. 16, 09:09 GMT: Egyptian PM Hisham Kandil says, “What I am witnessing in Gaza is a disaster and I can't keep quiet. The Israeli aggression must stop.”Nov. 16, 09:04 GMT: Ma’an news agency reports that the bodies of two children, who were killed in the latest Israeli strike, have been brought to the hospital while Egypt’s PM was there. Nov. 16, 08:41 GMT: The ceasefire, promised during the Egypt’s PM visit, has been broken both by Israel and Gaza, with Tel Aviv bombing the al-Qassam Brigades commander’s house in Gaza. Hamas also says two Gazans have been killed in a strike. It is not yet clear whether those were one or separate incidents.

Nov. 16, 08:40 GMT: According to the schedule of the Egyptian PM’s visit reported by Ma’an news agency, Hisham Kandil is to meet with Gaza’s PM Ismail Haniyeh and visit Gaza's main Shifa hospital.Nov. 16, 08:16 GMT: Israeli officials say Hamas is not respecting the temporary truce agreed during the Egyptian PM's visit.Nov. 16, 07:34 GMT: Witnesses report on Twitter that it’s quiet now in Gaza, as the Egyptian PM’s visit starts. Nov. 16, 07:17 GMT: Egypt’s PM Hisham Kandil has allegedly arrived in Gaza, RT’s Tom Barton tweets. Nov. 16, 07:14 GMT: The IDF says it is planning to begin recruiting 16,000 reservists as part of the “Pillar of Defense” operation.Nov. 16, 06:55 GMT: Palestinian authorities say three more people were killed in Israeli strikes, bringing the total death toll to 19 inside Gaza, RT’s Tom Barton reports via Twitter. He adds that over 85 missiles hit Gaza within 45 minutes Friday morning. Nov. 16, 06:00 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that all offensives would be halted on Friday, the day of the Egyptian prime minister’s visit to Gaza.Nov. 16, 05:55 GMT: Israel launched strikes on the Ministry of Interior’s Department of Civil Affairs in Gaza City, with at least 40 bombs hitting overnight, Ma’an news agency reported. The ministry’s officials assured that 90 per cent of citizens’ data is stored electronically, and is safe. Nov. 16, 03:30 GMT: Australian PM Julia Gillard has joined a number of Western leaders in supporting Israel and condemning Hamas for rocket and mortar attacks on Israel, AAP reports. ''Australia supports Israel's right to defend itself against these indiscriminate attacks. Such attacks on Israel's civilian population are utterly unacceptable.''Nov. 16, 03:05 GMT: IDF claims that more than 420 rockets have been fired from Gaza into southern Israel in the past two days.

Nov. 16, 01:15 GMT: Israeli Defense Force denies Hamas claims that an Israeli drone was downed.Nov. 16, 00:40 GMT: Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza has risen to 19, reportedly six of them are children.

Nov. 16, 00:10 GMT: Israeli forces are searching homes in the al-Arroub refugee camp in the south of the West Bank, Maan news agency reports citing witnesses. This comes after Palestinians threw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli settler bus in the area, injuring one passenger.

Nov. 15, 23:00 GMT: IDF claims that since the start of the operation the Israeli Air Force has targeted 300 “terror activity sites” in the Gaza Strip.

Nov. 15, 22:30 GMT: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will visit Jerusalem, Cairo and Ramallah on Tuesday, Haaretz says. The UN chief however is not expected to visit the Gaza Strip.

Nov. 15, 20:40 GMT: An Israeli strike killed a UN school teacher in Gaza. Marwan Abu El Qumsan, an Arabic teacher at a UN school, was killed as his car was hit by a bomb on Thursday, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, says on its website.Nov. 15, 20:35 GMT: During the past hour approximately 70 underground medium-range rocket launching sites in Gaza have been targeted by the IDF, the organization reported on Twitter.

Nov. 15, 19:59 GMT: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah urges US oil embargo over Gaza violence.Nov. 15, 19:47 GMT: Israeli media reports indicate that an Israeli Navy warship launched a targeted missile strike that hit a Hamas jeep near the home of Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh. No casualties have been reported.

Nov. 15, 19:46 GMT: Palestinian sources in Gaza have reported at least ten attacks on targets throughout the Gaza Strip. The targets were reportedly different positions and strongholds of Hamas' security forces, as well as missile launching sites.Nov. 15, 19:19 GMT: Witnesses on Twitter say a massive Israeli airstrike is underway in north Gaza, with dozens of explosions being heard. One witness says the Gaza sky is "filled with continuous flashes of explosions from F-16's."Nov. 15, 19:10 GMT: Power outages reported in Gaza, particularly Gaza City.Nov. 15, 18:29 GMT: An IDF spokesperson says 30,000 reserve soldiers could be called to participate in Gaza operation, Haaretz reports.

Nov. 15, 18:23 GMT: An IDF source says the air assault on Gaza will be renewed over the coming hours, says the IDF has approved plans for the next stage of the operation, Haaretz reports.Nov. 15, 18:14 GMT: Israel's defense minister says rocket fire on Tel Aviv is an escalation that will "exact a price."Nov. 15, 17:54 GMT: 250 sites have been targeted in Gaza since yesterday and 274 rockets have struck Israel in the past two days, according to an IDF spokesperson. There have also been 105 Iron Dome interceptions.Nov. 15, 17:53 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv at time of rocket attack, went into bomb shelter with staff, Israeli media say.Nov. 15, 17:21 GMT: Conflicting reports say a rocket has hit near Tel Aviv, landing in the sea off Jaffa Beach. An IDF spokesperson says a rocket "did not strike the area."Nov. 15, 16:20 GMT: Twitter reportedly suspended the IDF's account earlier on Thursday after it posted updates on the Gaza Strip conflict which Twitter deemed to be "direct, specific threats of violence against others."Nov. 15, 16:00 GMT: A spokesperson for Hamas says Egypt will send a delegation headed by Prime Minister Hesham Kandil to Gaza on Friday. Nov. 15, 15:54 GMT: An IDF spokesperson has told RT that journalists have full access to the Erez crossing into Gaza, despite differing claims from reporters earlier on Thursday. Nov. 15, 15:28 GMT: Russian President Vladimir Putin discusses Gaza conflict with Netanyahu, urges both sides to avoid escalation of violence.Nov. 15, 15:26 GMT: The Israeli army says a rocket has struck near the southern Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon LeZion. No injuries have been reported. Nov. 15, 14:03 GMT: Hamas health officials in Gaza say a two-year-old Palestinian child was killed by an Israeli strike on Thursday.

Nov. 15,13:55 GMT: Unconfirmed reports say that electricity has been shut off in Gaza.Nov. 15, 13:46 GMT: Twenty foreign journalists were reportedly blocked by the Israeli military before reaching the Erez crossing point to enter Gaza.Nov. 15, 13:44 GMT: British Ambassador to Israel declares UK's full support for Israel's defensive actions and its right to self defense. Nov. 15, 13:43 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will "continue to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people." Nov. 15, 13:00 GMT: Unconfirmed reports from Israeli media say that tanks are moving south towards the Gaza border. Israeli Defense Forces have refused to comment.Nov. 15, 12:44 GMT: Palestinian President Abbas says Hamas needs to stop its rocket fire on Israel, calls for both sides to end the violence. Nov. 15, 12:20 GMT: Sources claim Israel is offering a mutual ceasefire option in Gaza via European mediators.Nov. 15, 12:11 GMT: Hamas reports two more Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza.Nov. 15, 11:50 GMT: UK Foreign Secretary William Hague stated that Hamas "bears principal responsibility" for the conflict between Gaza and Israel, and should move to cease attacks on Israeli territory. He appealed to Israel to do its utmost to “avoid the risk of a spiral of violence."

Nov. 15, 11:34 GMT: Gaza prison has been evacuated and prisoners have either been sent home or escorted to other locations, reports RT’s Tom Barton.

Nov. 15, 11:17 GMT: The wreckage of the apartment block in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi hit by a Hamas rocket. Three people were killed in the explosion because they did not make it to the building’s fortified stairwell. Three children were also injured in the attack.

Nov. 15, 11:05 GMT: 4 children among the 13 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza, reports Hamas Health Ministry.

Nov. 15, 10:54 GMT: Israel’s Foreign Ministry says that 30 per cent of children in the south of Israel suffer from stress disorders in connection with rocket fire from Gaza.

Nov. 15, 10:53 GMT: A Palestinian source says Israel is using drones armed with small missiles to execute their strikes in Gaza, writes RT’s Tom Barton on Twitter.

Nov. 15, 10:15 GMT: The funeral of Hamas Military Chief Ahmed Jabari, killed in an Israeli strike, has begun and is attracting large crowds of angry protesters, tweets RT’s Tom Barton.

Nov. 15, 10:08 GMT: An emergency UN Security Council meeting on the crisis in Gaza called by Egypt has begun. It follows a meeting during the night that did not yield any palpable solutions to the conflict.

Nov. 15, 09:57 GMT: Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr has called on the US to “immediately intervene” to curb “Israeli aggression” in Gaza in a telephone conversation with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Nov. 15, 09:49 GMT: President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has cut short his tour of the EU to deal with the escalating crisis with Israel.

Nov. 15, 09:47 GMT: The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas has announced it is launching “Operation Shale Stones” in response to the Israeli “Pillar of Defense”.

Nov. 15, 09:28 GMT: A crater caused by the impact of Israeli missiles in Gaza city, following a barrage of 60 rockets targeting Palestinian territory.

Nov. 15, 09:12 GMT: BBC correspondent Jihad Masharawi weeps as he cradles his 11-month-old son in his arms after he was burned alive during an Israeli rocket attack.

Nov. 15, 08:23 GMT: Egypt has opened the Rafah border crossing in preparation for possible inflow of injured from Gaza. Hospitals and ambulance service are on standby.Nov. 15, 08:19 GMT: Angry crowds are gathering in Gaza to participate in the funeral of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari, killed by an Israeli airstrike.Nov. 15, 08:11 GMT: Two women and a man were killed in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi when a rocket hit a building. A one-year old child and another infant were also injured in the strike. Additionally, 10 people suffered panic attacks, according to Israeli publication Ynet.

Nov. 15, 07:32 GMT: Alarm sirens are going off in a number of southern Israeli cities close to the border with Gaza, including Ashdod, Yavne and Kiryat Malakhi, reports RT’s Paula Slier.

Nov. 15, 07:06 MGT: Rocket strikes on the South of Israel have killed three people, reports Israeli television.

Nov. 15, 07:05 GMT: A baby has been seriously injured by a rocket attack on a house in the South of Israel, tweets RT correspondent Tom Barton.

Nov. 15,06:34 GMT: Hamas stated that they will avenge the assassination of one of the organization’s leaders, Ahmed al-Jabari, who was killed in the Israeli missile strike, by sending suicide bombers into Israel.Nov. 15, 06:19 GMT: Israel’s army has allowed journalists to go into Gaza, but police are not letting cars pass in order to get there, according to the BBC’s Middle East Bureau Chief Paul Danahar.Nov. 15, 06:16 GMT: All schools within a 40km range of Gaza have been closed. People living within a 7km range of the Gaza border are not allowed to leave their homes and gatherings of over 100 people in one place are prohibited, Yeshiva World News reports.

Nov. 15, 05:58 GMT: Death toll from Israeli strike on Gaza Strip rises to 13 dead and more than 100 injured, PressTV reports.Nov. 15, 05:52 GMT: About 100 people protested outside Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s apartment in Tel Aviv Wednesday night following the start of the offensive on Gaza. The activists were shouting “money for welfare, not war."

Nov. 15, 05:41 GMT: IDF disperses leaflets over Gaza Strip, warning residents to stay away from Hamas and terror operatives because that would pose a risk to their safety and stating that Hamas is dragging the region into violence.

Nov. 15, 05:24 GMT: Reports of civilian casualties in Israeli airstrikes: BBC Arabic journalist Jihad Masharawi lost his 11 month-old-son, sister-in-law and has a brother wounded in a Gaza strike.Nov. 15, 05:12 GMT: Israel continued its rocket attacks in Gaza overnight, according to Haaretz.Nov. 15, 05:09 GMT: Three Palestinian militants killed by Israeli strike in southern Gaza Strip, AFP reports.Nov. 15, 05:05 GMT: 25 rockets have been fired since midnight from Gaza, Haaretz reports.Nov. 15, 05:04 GMT: One million citizens in Israel spent the night in bomb shelters, hiding from dozens of rockets flying in from Gaza, according to the IDF.

Nov. 15, 04:40 GMT: Palestine says if Israel does not stop aggression, it will keep returning to UN Security Council seeking a resolution.Nov. 15, 04:15 GMT: The UN Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza ends with no concrete decision reached.Nov. 15, 03:55 GMT: Palestine warns UNSC that Israel is mobilizing on the ground as the emergency meeting is happening and that fear and panic engulf Gaza’s population. Nov. 15, 03:50 GMT: President of the Security Council Hardeep Singh Puri calls for the end of violence in Gaza during UNSC meeting. Nov. 15, 03:25 GMT: Internet hacktivist collective 'Anonymous' claims to have taken down the Israeli Defense Ministry website www.idf.il. In a message shared via one of the group's Twitter accounts, they posted the site address with a popular hashtag used for similar actions, 'tango down'. Nov. 15, 03:06 GMT: Increasing number of reports claim Israel is planning to shut down internet services in Gaza, citing IDF. Nov. 15, 02:34 GMT: Russia hopes the UNSC will convince Israel to cease fire, said the country's permanent representative in the United Nations Vitaly Churkin. Nov. 15, 01:57 GMT: Worldwide protests are being planned to protest Israeli strikes in Gaza. People in the US, the UK, Israel and many European countries plan to gather to show their concern over escalating violence in the Middle East.

Nov. 15, 01:13 GMT: Diplomats say both the Israeli and Palestinian envoys are to speak at the emergency UNSC meeting. Nov. 15, 00:51 GMT: The United Nations Security Council has called an emergency meeting to discuss escalating tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territory of Gaza. The meeting is scheduled for 0200 GMT, and will take place behind closed doors.

22:43 GMT: Alarms sound in Be'er Sheva as two Gaza rockets hit city; no casualties reported.22:26 GMT: Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claims to be shelling "the occupied city of Tel Aviv".21:37 GMT: Israeli National Security Minister Avi Dichter: "We have no intention to end this round of fighting and suffer more hits in the next"

Nov. 14, 21:06 GMT: The Israeli Security Cabinet has given the IDF permission to draft reservists and expand the Gaza operation. Nov. 14, 20:51 GMT: The Arab League will meet Saturday to discuss the Gaza attack, reports Egypt's news agency. Nov. 14, 20:43 GMT: Israel's ambassador to Egypt has left for Tel Aviv together with a number of the embassy's employees, claim some media reports. Others insist embassy functioning as usual. Nov. 14, 19:55 GMT: Israel is reportedly preparing for a ground operation into Gaza.

Nov. 14, 19:48 GMT: According to AlJazeera, the Israeli army has reported a rocket from Gaza hitting a shopping center in a southern Israeli city.

Nov. 14, 19:40 GMT: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calls for end to violence in Gaza.

Nov. 14, 19:34 GMT: Egypt's president orders UN representative to call for emergency security council meeting over Israel Gaza strikes, spokesperson says, according to Egyptian state TV.

Nov. 14, 19:27 GMT: Egypt has decided to withdraw its ambassador to Israel.

Nov. 14, 19:22 GMT: Former US President Jimmy Carter was quoted by Israel's Haaretz daily as saying: “Both sides should cease all hostilities; Israel should end iblockade of Gaza".

Nov. 14, 19:20 GMT: People in Gaza describe how ships have been shelling the ground, they can hear bombs dropping, F16s flying above them all day and drones buzzing overhead, according to tweets from inside Gaza.

Nov. 14, 19:15 GMT: Hamas has announced a state of emergency in Gaza, and evacuated all its security buildings, according to bloggers in Gaza.

Nov. 14, 19:10 GMT: Locals inside Gaza take to Twiiter to claim that at least three children have already been killed in the attacks.

Nov. 14, 19:06 GMT: Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Grad rocket toward Dimona Wednesday night, Channel 2 reported. No injuries or damage were reported from the attack. It was not immediately clear where the rocket struck, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Nov. 14, 19:00 GMT: Palestinians in Gaza fired two rockets in the Eshkol region of southern Israel Wednesday night. The rockets exploded in open areas and no injuries or damages were reported, according to AP.

Nov. 14, 18:58 GMT: Israeli Defence Minster Ehud Barak says "We are at the start of the action, not the end. But in the long term, this military action will restore calm" according to the Jerusalem Post.

Nov. 14, 18:54 GMT: Israeli prime minister says military is `prepared to expand' Gaza operation, according to AP.

Nov. 14, 18:45 GMT: Palestinian health minister says 10 people killed in 20 airstrikes on Gaza Strip today, including two young children according to AP.

Nov. 14, 18:40 GMT:"Israel's goal is to achieve a long-term ceasefire with Egyptian mediation. IDF will continue to pound Gaza until such a truce is reached" says Volunteers for Israel, a charity that connects Israel and the USA.

Nov. 14, 18:35 GMT: Israeli Navy has struck terror sites in the Gaza Strip according to an IDF spokesperson.

Nov. 14, 18:30 GMT: Medics in Gaza report more than 30 injuries in the last attack on Tal Al-Hawa most of whom are kids and women, according to tweets from inside Gaza.

Nov. 14, 18:27 GMT: The Iron Dome rocket defense system successfully intercepted a total of 15 rockets on Wednesday evening, Israeli's Channel 2 reported.

Nov. 14, 18:24 GMT: Six rockets from the Gaza strip hurled toward Beersheba on Wednesday evening, Army Radio and Jerusalem Post staff reported.

Nov. 14, 18:20 GMT: the IDF has warned Hamas leaders not to show their faces above ground in the days ahead.

Nov. 14, 18:15 GMT: Defense Minister Ehud Barak has declared a special situation in all Israeli territory, covering all Israeli cities up to a radius of 40 kilometers around the Gaza Strip.

Nov.14, 18:04 GMT: PM Netanyahu & Defense Minister Barak to make a joint statement statement to the Israeli public at 2030.

Nov. 14, 17:56 GMT: Pentagon: "We stand by our Israeli partners in their right to defend themselves against terrorism”, news agencies report.

Nov. 14, 17:45 GMT: Big explosion near home of Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar according to Al Arabiya correspondent.

Nov. 14, 17:40 GMT: Israel has carried out 2 new bombing raids in the Tel el-Hawa and Zetun districts of Gaza city, according to bloggers in Gaza.

Nov. 14, 17:38 GMT: UN Chief Ban Ki-moon reiterates call for de-escalation of tensions in Gaza on both sides, spokesman says.

Nov. 14, 17:32 GMT: Palestinian President Abbas calls for urgent Arab League meeting after Israeli strike on Gaza according to Alarabiya.

Nov. 14, 17:30 GMT: Britain has called for restraint after Israeli strike on Gaza, saying that further violence was in no one's interests according to Al Arabiya.

Nov. 14, 17:25 GMT: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says it "will not allow the Palestinians to be subjected to Israeli aggression".

Nov. 14, 17:24 GMT: Israel confirms 10 dead in Gaza, reports say. Nov. 14, 17:21 GMT: Medical sources in Gaza saying at least 9 dead and 20 wounded.

Nov. 14, 17:15 GMT: Hamas official: Israel will 'pay a price for this cowardly assassination'.Nov. 14, 17:12 GMT: Egypt's FM condemns Israeli strikes on Gaza, and urges Israel to end attacks immediately acording to Al Arabiya. Nov. 14, 17:11 GMT: Egypt recalling ambassador to Israel. MB asking to review relationship with Israel, according to blogger Gaza Under Attack.

Nov. 14, 17:00 GMT: IDF issues draft orders for Israeli Homefront Command reserve soldiers, according to Haaretz.

Nov. 14, 16:50 GMT: Haaretz reports that the IDF has hit Rafah again, with the IDF claiming that the strike killed "two terrorists" riding on motorcycles.

Nov. 14, 16:42 GMT: 7 year old Raneen Arafat killed says Al Shifa Hospita, Gaza, according to Palestinian activists.

Nov. 14, 16:40 GMT: Israel Announces Gaza Invasion Via Twitter, Marks the first time a military campaign goes public via tweet, according to the fast company online magazine.

Nov. 14, 16:35 GMT: The Israeli army plans to persist with a land and air military operation targeting 'all militants' in Gaza for 72 hours, al-Mayadeen.

Nov. 14, 16:34 GMT: Iran Condemns Israel's Fresh Strikes on Gaza – Fars News Agency.

Nov. 14, 16:32 GMT: Israel starts emergency call up of reservists, says they're prepared for ground invasion of Gaza.

Nov. 14, 16:30 GMT: Palestinian health ministry in Gaza announces death toll so far is 9, including, at least, one kid.

Nov. 14, 16:25 GMT: Israeli military starts emergency call up of reservists while saying they are prepared for a ground invasion of Gaza.

Nov. 14, 16:20 GMT: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood calls on Egypt's president to review its relations with Israel following Israel's airstrikes on Gaza

Nov. 14, 16:15 GMT: Hamas says Israeli Prime Minister Nyetanyahu 'will regret this operation' as Israeli jets bomb over 20 sites in Gaza.

Nov. 14, 16:03 GMT :Netanyahu officially announces the military operation against the Palestinian military parties in Gaza

Nov. 14, 16:01 GMT: Hamas spokesman: "Netanyahu can kill Palestinians but struggle against occupation will continue"

Nov. 14, 16:00 GMT: Netanyahu: The world must understand that Israel has the right and a total obligation to defend its citizensNov. 14, 15:58 GMT: The IDF has seriously damaged Hamas' long-range missile capabilities (40 km/25 mi range) & underground weapons storage facilities.Nov. 14, 15:55 GMT: All options are on the table. If necessary, the IDF is ready to initiate a ground operation in Gaza.Nov. 14, 15:53 GMT: IDF is moving army brigades to the South to prepare for a ground assault. Home Front Command meeting for possible attack on Tel AvivNov. 14, 15:50 GMT: IDF declare the onset of a wide scale air, maritime and land military operation against Gaza.Nov. 14, 15:47 GMT: Killing of top Hamas Ahmed Jabari brings Hamas into open war with Israel.Nov. 14, 15:40 GMT: The death toll from the Israeli strikes on Gaza has risen to nine.

Nov. 14, 15:40 GMT: Explosions rock Gaza as Israeli jets bomb Hamas positions, our correspondent reports.Nov. 14, 15:35 GMT: Dozens of injuries in a strike on a HOUSE that belongs to Arafat family. Ambulances haven't arrived there yet.

Nov. 14, 15:20 GMT: Many of the buildings in the downtown Gaza city are on fire after being attacked by Israeli warplanes, RT`s Arabic correspondent Saed Swerky reports in his Twitter.

Nov. 14, 14:45 GMT: The IDF stated on its website that it has launched a "widespread campaign on terror sites and operatives in the Gaza Strip" and Jabari was its first target. He's the highest ranking Hamas official to be killed since 2009, when Israel conducted ground offensive against Gaza.14:35 GMT: The crackdown follows the recent escalation of violence in the region. The conflict broke out last week when Palestinian militants attacked at an Israeli military jeep. Israel responded with retaliatory attacks, to which the Gaza Strip replied with heavy rocket fire at southern Israel.Nov. 14, 14:30 GMT: Jabari was traveling in his vehicle in Gaza City when his car was struck.

Nov. 14, 14:25 GMT: The head of Hamas’ military wing, Ahmed Jabari, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike, both Hamas and Israel confirm, as the IDF announces a widespread campaign on “terror targets” and begins bombing the Gaza Strip.