Death toll in Gaza exceeds 800

Death toll in Gaza exceeds 800

More than 820 people have been killed and 3,300 hurt in more than two weeks of violence [Reuters] The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 821 people and more than 3,300 injured as the Israeli offensive enters its third week. The attacks continued on Saturday with aerial bombardments across the strip and Israeli forces advancing further into the outskirts of Gaza City. Eight members of one family were among the latest fatalities, killed by an Israeli tank shell in Jabalya. Israeli aircraft bombed tunnels used to smuggle goods from Egypt into the besieged territory, weapons-manufacturi ng sites and depots, an Israeli army spokesman said. Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza City, said: "There was a lot of intense fighting overnight. "The most significant development was the advance of the Israeli military. "We understand now they are on the outskirts of Gaza City, still trying to avoid going in through major population centres, but navigating their way around those urban areas on the periphery." Israeli warning Israel dropped leaflets of Gaza City on Saturday warning residents not to approach Hamas members, the group's fighters or weapons depots. The notices said Israeli forces were about to "escalate" the offensive and begin a "new phase in the war on terror". IN DEPTH Analysis and features from Gaza and Israel Al Jazeera Labs: Report on and track the war Send us your views and eyewitness videos Watch our coverage of the war on Gaza Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor working at Shifa hospital in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera: "We have been to many war zones, but the special thing is that the 1.5 Gaza population are completely locked in. "The civilian population has no way to hide. The population density is so high you can not do attacks like this without knowing that you are attacking the civilians. "Also, the injuries must come from extremely explosive devices. We suspect that Israel is using a new type of high explosive called Dime [dense inert metal explosive]. "We urge the world, stop the bombing of Gaza. Please stop it." Since Israel launched its offensive 15 days ago, 13 Israelis have died, including three civilians. Palestinian fighters fired at least 10 rockets into Israel on Saturday, slightly wounding two people. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from the Gaza-Israel border, said that number was down significantly over the past two days, from about 30-40 daily since Israel's assault began. "It may well be that's because the Israeli army is taking over more of the land where these rockets are fired from," our correspondent said. "But it also may be that Hamas is running out of rockets to fire into Israel." With Gaza's borders sealed and a warren of underground tunnels bombed extensively, Hamas supply routes would largely have been closed off, while the constant firings would have depleted stockpiles. "From that point of view, I'm sure the Israeli public believe that this has been a successful operation because it is reducing the capacity of Hamas to fire rockets into southern Israel," Fisher said. Diplomatic efforts A senior Hamas delegation was in the Egyptian capital to make their remarks on the Egyptian plan aimed at ending the fighting. A binding resolution passed by the UN security council late on Thursday failed to bring peace to the Gaza Strip, with Israel arguing that it has the right to self-defence. Egypt's plan includes an immediate cessation of hostilities for a specified period, the opening of Gaza's crossings, curtailment of arms smuggling into the Strip and attempts at reconciliation talks between the Palestinian factions. Gaza's humanitarian situation has only gotten worse as the war continues [GALLO/GETTY] Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, also in Cairo, said the Egyptian plan would facilitate progress on a ceasefire. The UN, meanwhile, has said that it will resume its work in the Gaza Strip after receiving safety assurances from Israeli authorities. A UN statement said that Israel had given "credible assurances that the security of UN personnel installations and humanitarian operations would be fully respected". The UN stopped aid shipments after one of its lorries was shot at by Israeli forces, killing the driver, two days ago. The majority of the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip depend on foreign aid for survival and the humanitarian situation has worsened as the offensive has continued. "We are receiving reports that some people are starting to burn their furniture to bake bread and to cook," Christopher Gunness, UN relief and works agency spokesman, said on Saturday.

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