Ban Says Agreement on Gaza Cease-Fire 'Very Close'

At a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah Friday, Mr. Ban urged the parties to conclude their indirect negotiations as soon as possible. He said he hopes for an agreement over the next few days, but also said it is time for Israel's government to consider a unilateral cease-fire.

The U.N. chief spoke after meetings with leaders of the Palestinian Authority.

Shortly before, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev expressed Israel's hope that it was nearing the end of its three-week offensive.

Fighting continued in Gaza today, with Israeli air strikes pounding 40 Hamas targets before dawn, including smuggling tunnels and rocket launching sites. Hamas has kept up its rocket fire into Israel throughout Israel's campaign.

Israeli diplomats are in the United States and Egypt for discussions on cease-fire terms.

In Washington, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is to finalize a U.S.-Israeli deal that aims to stop Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza. In Cairo, senior Israeli defense official Amos Gilad is holding a second day of truce talks with Egyptian mediators.

Meanwhile, leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups are in Qatar today for an Arab meeting on the Gaza crisis.

Hamas has proposed a year-long, renewable truce in Gaza, leading to the withdrawal of Israeli troops within a week and the immediate opening of all border crossings.

On Thursday, Israeli forces pushed deep into Gaza's main city, killing senior Hamas leader Interior Minister Sa'id Siam. Israeli shelling also hit three hospitals, a media center and a U.N. compound in Gaza City, where many civilians had taken cover.

The U.N. chief expressed outrage over the shelling. U.N. officials reject Israel's account that it shelled the compound because militant fire was coming from the complex.

Palestinian medics say nearly 1,100 Gazans, including 300 children, have been killed in Israel's three-week-long campaign. Thirteen Israeli soldiers and civilians have also died in the conflict.
Israel says its offensive aims to halt Hamas rocket fire from Gaza.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters. By VOA