Hamas in Gaza and Damascus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq Alhomayed - January 14, 2009 - 1:00am Khalid Mishal, in Damascus, is saying no to a permanent truce and to negotiations, and is rejecting the proposed agreement regarding crossings that is based on the 2005 version, out of fear for the movement’s weapons and not out of fear for the safety of the people of Gaza. However, the speech delivered by Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza was somewhat different. » Read more

Egypt's Gaza truce plan is mostly bad for Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Analysis) January 15, 2009 - 1:00am After 19 days of fighting and more than 1,000 Palestinian fatalities, the first significant signs that Hamas is breaking could be seen Wednesday night. Hamas representatives to talks with Egypt announced an agreement in principle on Wednesday to the Egyptian cease-fire proposal. They also demanded several clarifications, primarily from Israel. » Read more

Gaza War Generates Debate on Civilians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Griff Witte - January 15, 2009 - 1:00am A war that began almost three weeks ago as an effort by Israel to stop Hamas rocket fire from killing Israeli civilians has been consumed by a bitter debate over who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. As the Palestinian death toll topped 1,000 on Wednesday, medical officials and aid organizations said civilians accounted for at least half of the total. An additional 4,700 Palestinians have been injured. » Read more

Progress Reported in Gaza Truce Talks; Palestinian Toll Exceeds 1,000 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Craig Whitlock - January 15, 2009 - 1:00am Diplomats said Wednesday they were closer to bringing about a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but fighting in the coastal territory persisted as the Palestinian death toll in the 19-day war passed 1,000. » Read more

UN headquarters in Gaza hit by Israeli 'white phosphorus' shells ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times by Sheera Frenkel - January 15, 2009 - 1:00am The main UN compound in Gaza was in flames today after being struck by Israeli artillery fire, and a spokesman said that the building had been hit by shells containing the incendiary agent white phosphorus. The attack on the headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) came as Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, arrived in Israel on a peace mission and plunged Israel's relations with the world body to a new low. » Read more

Israel Strike Hits U.N. Complex in Gaza Strip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Taghreed El-Khodary, Isabel Kershner - January 15, 2009 - 1:00am Israeli forces shelled areas deep inside Gaza City on Thursday, hitting the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and injuring at least three people in the compound, according to witnesses and United Nations officials. A spokesman for the agency, Christopher Gunness, said that hundreds of Palestinians were sheltering in the compound at the time of the shelling and that there were five fully laden fuel vehicles at the site. He said two buildings were ablaze. » Read more