Israel and Hamas step back from major Gaza confrontation

[TomClash]

Israel and Hamas step back from major Gaza confrontation
Leaders from both sides appeal for restraint after escalation of violence to levels not seen since end of Gaza war in 2009

Conal Urquhart in Ashkelon
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 10 April 2011 15.46 BST

Israel and Hamas appeared to have stepped back from a major confrontation after a weekend of attacks which left 19 Palestinians dead and saw dozens of rockets fired at southern Israel.

The dead in Gaza included six civilians, with a further 65 injured.

The attacks increased after militants fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli school bus from Gaza on Thursday, injuring a teenage boy.

Israel launched a series of air strikes and Gazan groups fired about 80 mortar shells and 20 longer-range rockets.

Leaders from both sides made radio appeals for calm and indicated that each side had no desire to escalate the conflict.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/10/israel-hamas-gaza-step-back-confrontation