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Israel soldier dies in Gaza clash Israel soldier dies in Gaza clash
(about 3 hours later)
Palestinian militants say they have killed an Israeli soldier and injured others in an ambush in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli soldier has been killed in a clash in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military says.
The Israeli army have confirmed that a soldier was killed in a Gaza clash. Palestinian militants say they killed him and injured others in an ambush.
The clash took place near the Kissufim crossing with Israel in central Gaza during an Israeli military incursion.The clash took place near the Kissufim crossing with Israel in central Gaza during an Israeli military incursion.
A joint statement by Hamas' military wing and the Popular Resistance Committees said the ambush occurred just 500m inside Gaza. A joint statement by Hamas's military wing and the Popular Resistance Committees said the ambush occurred just 500m inside Gaza.
The militant groups say that they have captured the dead soldier's weapon. The militant groups say they seized the dead soldier's weapon.
Israeli forces have carried out many incursions and air strikes on Gaza since the capture in late June of Israeli Cpl Gilad Shalit in a cross border raid by Palestinian militants. Israeli forces have carried out many incursions and air strikes on Gaza since the capture in late June of Israeli Cpl Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants.
Gaza sealedGaza sealed
The Israeli soldier is the second to die in Gaza since the capture of Cpl Shalit. The other soldier was killed in a friendly fire incident. The Israeli soldier is the second to die in Gaza since the capture of Cpl Shalit. The other soldier was killed in a "friendly fire" incident.
Over this period, Gaza has been largely sealed off. A senior US official recently warned that living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza have reached breaking point. Over this period, Gaza has been largely sealed off. A senior US official recently warned that living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza had reached breaking point.
Israel says the campaign in Gaza aims to secure the release of its soldier and stop militants from firing rocket in Israel. Israel says the campaign in Gaza aims to secure the release of its soldier and stop militants from firing rockets into Israel.
The Palestinian militant groups say that their attacks are a response to Israeli air strikes, raids, arrests and killings, both in Gaza and the West Bank.The Palestinian militant groups say that their attacks are a response to Israeli air strikes, raids, arrests and killings, both in Gaza and the West Bank.
Between the end of June and the end of August, Israeli security forces killed 226 Palestinians, 54 of them minors, in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Human rights group, B'Tselem has reported. Between the end of June and the end of August, Israeli security forces killed 226 Palestinians, 54 of them minors, in the Gaza Strip, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem reports.
The group says 114 of these were not taking part in any hostilities when killed, and 46 of them were minors.The group says 114 of these were not taking part in any hostilities when killed, and 46 of them were minors.
Earlier on Tuesday, an Israeli air strike destroyed the two-floor home in central Gaza. No-one was injured.Earlier on Tuesday, an Israeli air strike destroyed the two-floor home in central Gaza. No-one was injured.
The building belonged to a senior security official in the Palestinian Authority's interior ministry.The building belonged to a senior security official in the Palestinian Authority's interior ministry.
An Israeli army spokesman said the house was targeted because it was being used to store weapons.An Israeli army spokesman said the house was targeted because it was being used to store weapons.
EU statement
Also on Tuesday, the European Union gave a cautious welcome to progress on the formation of a national unity government by the Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah.
A statement issued by Finland, the current holder of the EU presidency, said: "The presidency sees this as a positive development and hopes that it will create the conditions for a return to the process of negotiation between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
"The presidency reiterates the belief of the European Union that only a negotiated two-state solution can bring lasting peace to the Middle East."
The international community imposed an economic boycott against the present Hamas-led administration because it refuses to recognise Israel's right to exist and refuses to renounce violence.
The new government will be headed by the current Hamas Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya, while the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, will be responsible for negotiations with Israel.
Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, said it did not matter which political groups formed a Palestinian government.
What mattered, she said, was that a new government fulfilled conditions set by the West - or nothing would have changed.