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| Tense calm follows Gaza ceasefire | Tense calm follows Gaza ceasefire |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The fragile ceasefire in Gaza is continuing to hold, a day after Hamas said militants would stop attacks for a week to give Israel time to withdraw. | The fragile ceasefire in Gaza is continuing to hold, a day after Hamas said militants would stop attacks for a week to give Israel time to withdraw. |
| Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said he wanted troops to leave as quickly as possible, and some have already left. | Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said he wanted troops to leave as quickly as possible, and some have already left. |
| Pressure is now growing on Israel to reopen border crossings with Gaza to let in vital aid, as people lack basic supplies after the three-week conflict. | |
| Israel called a ceasefire on Saturday, saying it had met its war aims. | Israel called a ceasefire on Saturday, saying it had met its war aims. |
| Hamas later declared its own truce with one of its leaders claiming a "great victory" over Israel. | Hamas later declared its own truce with one of its leaders claiming a "great victory" over Israel. |
| Big questions | Big questions |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says many people face shortages of food, medicine and fuel. | The BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says many people face shortages of food, medicine and fuel. |
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| The BBC's Paul Wood sees first hand the damage in Gaza | The BBC's Paul Wood sees first hand the damage in Gaza |
| Big questions remain, our correspondent says, such as how much Israel will open the border crossings, who will police Gaza's southern border and how much power Hamas still has. | Big questions remain, our correspondent says, such as how much Israel will open the border crossings, who will police Gaza's southern border and how much power Hamas still has. |
| John Ging, director of operations for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), said most important was how to get supplies into Gaza. | |
| "We have a big recovery operation ahead of us, reconstruction - none of it will be possible of course, on any scale, until we get crossing points open," he told the BBC. | |
| CONFLICT IN FIGURES More than 1,300 Palestinians killedThirteen Israeli deathsMore than 4,000 buildings destroyed in GazaTens of thousands of Gazans homeless In depth: Gaza conflictQ&A: Gaza conflictWho are Hamas?Middle East conflict: History in maps | |
| He said the first priority was water, as half a million had been without it since the conflict began. Huge numbers of people were also without power, he added. | |
| Unrwa was keen to reopen its schools, Mr Ging said, where 50,000 people were sheltering. Tens of thousands have been made homeless by the bombardment. | |
| At least 1,300 Palestinians, according to Palestinian sources, and 13 Israelis have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on 27 December. Palestinian medical sources say at least 95 bodies have been pulled from the rubble since Israel halted its offensive. | At least 1,300 Palestinians, according to Palestinian sources, and 13 Israelis have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on 27 December. Palestinian medical sources say at least 95 bodies have been pulled from the rubble since Israel halted its offensive. |
| Local sources said the conflict had left 4,000 buildings destroyed. | Local sources said the conflict had left 4,000 buildings destroyed. |
| A further 20,000 buildings were severely damaged, Gaza municipal officials said after an initial count. | A further 20,000 buildings were severely damaged, Gaza municipal officials said after an initial count. |
| Correspondents say the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, although no air strikes, rocket attacks or major clashes were reported overnight. | Correspondents say the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, although no air strikes, rocket attacks or major clashes were reported overnight. |
| Palestinian militants fired about 20 rockets over the border after the Israeli ceasefire announcement, and Israel responded with an air attack. | Palestinian militants fired about 20 rockets over the border after the Israeli ceasefire announcement, and Israel responded with an air attack. |
| 'Israeli failure' | |
| Surrounded by an array of European political leaders, some of whom were highly critical of Israel's tactics in the conflict with Hamas, the Israeli prime minister said his country was not interested in staying in the Gaza Strip. | Surrounded by an array of European political leaders, some of whom were highly critical of Israel's tactics in the conflict with Hamas, the Israeli prime minister said his country was not interested in staying in the Gaza Strip. |
| GAZA LATEST href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7836596.stm">Gazans confront shattered lives class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7836541.stm">Broken town shows destruction class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7836616.stm">Bowen diary: Real calm may come "We didn't set out to control Gaza, we don't want to remain in Gaza and we intend on leaving Gaza as quickly as possible," he said. | |
| Anonymous Israeli officials, quoted by AP news agency, said the withdrawal would be completed before US President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. | Anonymous Israeli officials, quoted by AP news agency, said the withdrawal would be completed before US President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. |
| Correspondents say Israeli leaders want to get off to a smooth start with the new administration in Washington. | Correspondents say Israeli leaders want to get off to a smooth start with the new administration in Washington. |
| The European leaders had travelled to Israel to lend their support to the ceasefires. | The European leaders had travelled to Israel to lend their support to the ceasefires. |
| British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the opening of the crossings into Gaza was important to "make possible a resumption of the talks that are necessary for a permanent peace". | British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the opening of the crossings into Gaza was important to "make possible a resumption of the talks that are necessary for a permanent peace". |
| The top Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, said Israel had "failed to achieve its goals". | The top Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, said Israel had "failed to achieve its goals". |
| In a speech broadcast on Hamas TV station, he said: "God has granted us a great victory, not for one faction, or party, or area, but for our entire people." | In a speech broadcast on Hamas TV station, he said: "God has granted us a great victory, not for one faction, or party, or area, but for our entire people." |
| Israelis and Palestinians give their views on Israel's ceasefire announcementIn pictures Hamas said it would hold fire for a week to give Israel time to withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip. | Israelis and Palestinians give their views on Israel's ceasefire announcementIn pictures Hamas said it would hold fire for a week to give Israel time to withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip. |
| "Our demand is the withdrawal of the enemy forces from the Gaza Strip within a week, along with the opening of all the crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, food and other necessities for our people in the Gaza Strip," said Hamas's deputy chief in Syria, Moussa Abou Marzouk. | "Our demand is the withdrawal of the enemy forces from the Gaza Strip within a week, along with the opening of all the crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, food and other necessities for our people in the Gaza Strip," said Hamas's deputy chief in Syria, Moussa Abou Marzouk. |
| Meanwhile, the BBC's Paul Wood entered northern Gaza via the Erez crossing as part of the first group of journalists to gain independent access to the Strip from Israel. | Meanwhile, the BBC's Paul Wood entered northern Gaza via the Erez crossing as part of the first group of journalists to gain independent access to the Strip from Israel. |
| He says that in the town of Beit Lahiya he saw the first real destruction - streets churned up by Israeli heavy armour, overturned cars, a lake of raw sewage in the street and a mosque left as a charred ruin. | He says that in the town of Beit Lahiya he saw the first real destruction - streets churned up by Israeli heavy armour, overturned cars, a lake of raw sewage in the street and a mosque left as a charred ruin. |
| Hamas officials stopped the BBC from filming at one site where bodies were still being removed - a sign, perhaps, that there had been some kind of military target nearby, our correspondent says. | Hamas officials stopped the BBC from filming at one site where bodies were still being removed - a sign, perhaps, that there had been some kind of military target nearby, our correspondent says. |