CALLS FOR GAZA CEASEFIRE

Foreign powers have stepped up calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Four days of Israeli air attacks have left 384 Palestinians dead and more than 800 wounded. Four Israelis have been killed after the Islamic militants fired salvoes of rockets.

The Quartet of Middle East peace brokers - the United Nations, US, Russia and European Union - have called for an immediate halt to the hostilities.

US President George W Bush has spoken to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to discuss how to end the violence.

Earlier, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner proposed Israel accept a 48-hour truce to allow aid into Gaza. French President Nicolas Sarkozy may visit Israel on Monday.

Hamas appeared to reject the idea of an agreed truce. It said the onus was on Israel to stop firing and lift a blockade of Gaza's border.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said: "We want to see convoy after convoy of humanitarian support and we are willing to work closely with all relevant international parties to facilitate that goal.

"At the same time, it is important to keep the pressure up on Hamas, not give them a respite, time to regroup and reorganise."

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said: "You can't equate the victim and the jailer. What is required at this time is an Arab and international effort to stop the (Israeli) aggression and open the crossings."

Israel has called up 6,500 reservists to boost the garrison on the Gaza border and the government will seek to mobilise 2,500 more.

But winter rain could make a full-scale ground operation difficult for the Israelis.