On to the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces continue to press ahead with a brutal ground offensive, pushing the total death doll of Palestinians to over 300 in almost two weeks of conflict.
Palestinian officials said 65 Palestinians, at least 15 of them under the age of 18, have been killed since Israel invaded Gaza on Thursday. During that same time, more than 135 rockets have been fired from Gaza, though many were shot down by Israel, causing no casualties.
The conflict has caused substantial civilian losses and UN chief Ban Ki-moon plans to travel to the Middle East today (Saturday) for a peace bid. Yesterday, US president Barack Obama spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and raised concerns about "the risks of further escalation" and the additional loss of innocent lives.
