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Brown invited to Gaza discussions UK makes £20m aid promise to Gaza
(about 5 hours later)
Gordon Brown has been invited to join world leaders in Egypt for a summit on the crisis in Gaza. The British government has pledged to give a further £20m in humanitarian aid to help crisis-torn Gaza.
The discussions in Sharm el Sheikh later will be chaired by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said he hoped the aid would help bring relief to the "terrible suffering" there.
The UK prime minister was among those asked to attend the talks but Downing Street said it could not confirm whether he would be there. Meanwhile Gordon Brown is to join world leaders in Egypt for a summit on the Middle East crisis, chaired by the Egyptian and French presidents.
The summit comes after Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza.The summit comes after Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "That invitation is under consideration. No 10 is unable to confirm that he will attend." Mr Alexander told BBC One's Andrew Marr show that both aid and access to Gaza for humanitarian aid was needed.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is believed to have agreed to take part, along with the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. He said he was sending minister Mike Foster to meet the UN in the region to find out what else could be done to ensure sufficient access was available.
"We need to make sure more convoys can get into Gaza and we've been quite clear that we want unfettered humanitarian access to ensure the kind of supplies destroyed at the UN headquarters can be replenished," he said.
'International pressure''International pressure'
Mr Brown has already offered UK naval resources to help monitor the conflict and help ensure protection and monitoring of the crossings into Gaza. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also believed to have agreed to take part in the summit in Sharm El-Shiekh, along with the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
Mr Brown earlier offered UK naval resources to help monitor the conflict and help ensure protection and monitoring of the crossings into Gaza.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband, meanwhile, has welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement of the ceasefire as a "huge relief".Foreign Secretary David Miliband, meanwhile, has welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement of the ceasefire as a "huge relief".
Mr Miliband said the country had listened to international pressure and it was now "imperative" for Hamas to stop its rocket attacks on Israel.Mr Miliband said the country had listened to international pressure and it was now "imperative" for Hamas to stop its rocket attacks on Israel.
He also called for the Gaza strip to be opened up to aid workers as quickly as possible.He also called for the Gaza strip to be opened up to aid workers as quickly as possible.
Mr Olmert said Israel's operation in Gaza had fully achieved its aims, with Hamas badly damaged militarily and in terms of infrastructure. Mr Olmert said Israel's operation in Gaza had fully achieved its aims, claiming Hamas was badly damaged militarily and in terms of infrastructure.
Earlier, a Hamas spokesman said it would fight until its demands were met, including an Israeli withdrawal.Earlier, a Hamas spokesman said it would fight until its demands were met, including an Israeli withdrawal.
Renewed fighting on Sunday - with rockets fired from Gaza and a subsequent Israeli airstrike - put an immediate strain on the ceasefire.