Obama meets with 4 U.S. presidents

US President George W. Bush (C) stands with President-elect Barack Obama (2nd L), former President George H.W. Bush (L), former President Bill Clinton (2nd R) and former President Jimmy Carter (R) in the Oval Office of the White House. Obama said Wednesday he was hoping to learn from the successes of his predecessors. President George W. Bush will talk briefly in private with his successor Barack Obama on Wednesday before a rare White House lunch with all living former US presidents

Israeli troops invade Gaza

An Israeli soldier, is at its armored personnel carriers on the southern border of the Gaza Strip. Peace officer announced Wednesday a breakthrough in efforts to contain the conflict from Gaza to Israel to warm up a Franco-Egyptian initiative and Russia for a diplomatic solution in the talks with Hamas.

Israel tentatively welcomed a proposal Wednesday from Egypt and France for a Gaza cease-fire and briefly halted its offensive to allow aid to reach civilians, but also gave the military a green light to press ahead with its assault on Hamas. Egyptian-French ceasefire proposal for Gaza as long as such a deal guarantees a halt to militant rockets and weapons smuggling, in a possible sign that a bloody 12-day offensive could be winding down.

Gaza fighting rages

Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Israel's offensive in Gaza Wednesday, the bombing strongly suspected smuggling tunnel near the border with Egypt, after three hours of rest for humanitarian aid. Hamas responded with a rocket barrage.

Despite the heavy fighting, were on the diplomatic front, with the United States throw their weight behind is mediation of France and Egypt.

While the Security Council is not an agreement on a cease-fire resolution, Egypt United Nations said Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz representatives of Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have separated for the Egyptian official in Cairo on Thursday.

The Israeli air strikes killed 29 Palestinians on Wednesday after leaflets were dropped warning residents to leave the area ", because Hamas uses your homes to hide and smuggle weapons."

The victims, all victims of Palestinian Israël's for 12 days and 688 attack led to the house, the complexity of the search for a diplomatic mission to Israel for the final of the invasion of Gaza . Ten Israelis were killed, including three civilians, since the offensive began in December 27th

More than 5,000 people have fled the border area, seeking refuge in two schools in the UN-shelter.

The anger of the renewed fighting, the Scrambling each page, to as many as possible before a ceasefire could take place.

"I feel the ground shaking, so we hear, the grenade fire. People are scared," said Fida Kishta, a resident of the Palestinian-Egyptian border, where Israeli jets destroyed 16 houses empty.

In Turkey, a diplomat, the Middle East spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak publicly said that the country would be required to implement all international forces, helping to peace. And diplomats in New York at the Security Council a statement by the Council, the initiative for a ceasefire, but not an agreement on how to end the violence.