Ebola 'Out Of Control' As US Evacuates Sick Pair

Two Americans infected with ebola in West Africa are to be flown back to the US in the coming days, as world health officials warned the outbreak was moving too quickly.

The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that arrangements were being made for a chartered flight to land at Dobbins Air Base in Marietta, Georgia.  

It is expected to transport Dr Kent Brantly, 33, and 59-year-old Nancy Writebol, a missionary.

Health workers carry an ebola victim's body in Sierra Leone

They were said on Thursday to be in a "stable but grave condition" after contracting the haemorrhagic fever in the Liberian capital Monrovia.

The State Department said on Friday it was leading preparations to evacuate the two Americans back to the US to be cared for in strict isolation.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the patients, whom she declined to identify citing privacy concerns, would be taken to medical facilities with appropriate isolation and treatment capabilities.

The patients will be transported in a specially designed portable tent

Emory University Hospital, in southern Georgia, said it was preparing to accept two ebola patients to its containment unit within the next several days.

A small private jet was dispatched from the US state of Georgia to Liberia on Thursday.

The aircraft has been fitted with a portable tent designed for transporting patients with highly infectious diseases, AP news agency reports.

A modified Gulfstream III jet will fly the Americans back to Georgia

The World Health Organisation's director-general warned on Friday that the ebola outbreak, which has killed at least 729 people, is out of control but can be stopped.

Margaret Chan told the presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra, the three worst affected nations: "This outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it.

"If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries.

Emory University Hospital in Atlanta has a dedicated containment unit

"This meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response."

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone announced on Friday a quarantine zone to seal off the epicentre of the outbreak where the three countries meet.

One US citizen has already died of the virus. Liberian health ministry official Patrick Sawyer, a naturalised American, began vomiting on a flight from Liberia to Nigeria last month.

Medical staff take a blood sample from an ebola patient in Sierra Leone

Mr Sawyer, who had planned to visit family in Minnesota in August, was taken to a hospital in Lagos where he died.

His case sparked particular alarm because he was able to board an international flight while infected with the incurable disease.

Two other Americans - Peace Corps volunteers -  have been isolated after becoming exposed to ebola in West Africa and are under observation, though neither has shown any symptoms.

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Hamas: Israeli Soldier 'May Have Been Killed'

Why Obama's Hands Are Tied Over Gaza

Updated: 4:38am UK, Friday 01 August 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

On the day the White House said the Israeli military should do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the US confirmed it had agreed to supply the same military with more ammunition.

The Obama administration has hardened its criticism of the shelling of a UN school in Gaza calling it "indefensible" and saying there is little doubt the Israelis were responsible.

"We need our allies in Israel," said administration press secretary Josh Earnest "to live up to the high standards they have set themselves". Meanwhile those same allies were being invited to help themselves to more of the US arms stockpiles in Israel.

Duplicitous double standards or another sign of the complexity of US-Israeli relations? Depends on your point of view.

There is no doubt the Obama administration is concerned and frustrated by Israel's conduct. There is also no doubt the administration will continue to support it to the hilt for as long as required.

Frustrated not least because of the trashing of the US Secretary of State John Kerry by Israeli cabinet ministers and media after his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The Obama administration has not hidden its fury at the personal attacks on America's chief diplomat by senior members of the Netanyahu government.

The mounting civilian suffering is a concern to the US, for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.

What's left of America's standing in the Arab world is further undermined by gruesome pictures of slaughter caused by US-supplied weaponry being fired into Gaza.  

A lot has been made of the dysfunctional relationship of the two countries' leaders. 

Bibi and Barack have had more than their share of differences, and none of the political intimacy of George W Bush and Ariel Sharon. 

But these days Israel can take US support for granted far more than it could back then.

When Ariel Sharon wanted to send his military into Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in 2002 he personally asked Bush to let him do so and give him enough time to finish the job.

The destruction in Jenin is nothing compared to what Israel has wrought in Gaza and it has done so without needing to ask for American permission. 

There are many reasons for US support for Israel, some historic, others more current.

The US-Israeli relationship is one of the fundamental constants of American foreign policy in the Middle East. With a region in ferment and in a state of flux, that is more important to Washington than ever.

The Israeli lobby is also hugely powerful in the US. 

Capitol Hill has been called Israeli-occupied territory; such is the sway the Jewish state holds over US politicians.

Multifarious pro-Israel organisations, millions given to Israel supporters at election time and masterful use of the media all mean that is unlikely to change.

Israel has the same hold on everyday Americans as it has on politicians.

US public opinion has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to Israel since the second intifada when the Palestinians began blowing up women and children on buses and since 9/11, which hardened US attitudes to violent Muslims of any description.

More often than not the US media is inclined to accept the Israeli narrative. 

Coverage of tunnels out of Gaza is a case in point.

When Israeli military PR shifted the focus from rockets to tunnels, US coverage followed.

Too much talk of rockets is a threat to Israel economically now the country's main airport is within range.

Israel now claims Hamas tunnels are their main casus belli.

There has been little questioning of Israeli claims they are a terrorist threat to women and children, when thus far they have only been used by Hamas militants for military purposes to target Israeli soldiers. 

US support of Israel is mirrored by the attitude of some Arab nations in the region.

Egypt's recent ceasefire plan angered Hamas by including many of Israel's demands and few of the Palestinians'.

The Saudis and Jordanians are also quietly cheering the Jewish state from the sidelines. 

Since the last major Israeli operation in Gaza the faultlines have shifted in the Middle East because of the deepening chasm among Muslims, between Sunnis and Shia. 

On one side, Iran and its allies, the Assad regime in Damascus, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

On the other Tehran's enemies in the Gulf and Egypt who are in no mood to help out Iran's Sunni allies, Hamas in Gaza. 

While much of the Middle East remains silent as the carnage continues in Gaza, Israel will assume it is carrying out the wishes of at least some of its neighbours.

Washington will continue dishing out carefully worded criticism if Israel keeps facing claims it has shelled children sleeping in UN buildings.

But it is not going to be reducing its support for its closest ally in an increasingly troubled region.

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US Ebola Doctor Gives Serum To Fellow Patient

A US doctor infected with ebola has insisted the only available dose of an experimental serum go to a fellow American patient in Liberia, as one of the countries worst hit by the disease declared a state of emergency.

Dr Kent Brantly and missionary Nancy Writebol are both in a "stable but grave condition", according to an aid organisation, although his condition deteriorated slightly overnight.

The North Carolina-based Samaritan's Purse charity said in a statement: "Yesterday, an experimental serum arrived in the country, but there was only enough for one person. Dr Brantly asked that it be given to Nancy Writebol."

The charity also said Dr Brantly, 33, had been given a unit of blood from a 14-year-old boy who survived ebola because of the American's medical care.

The virus has been fatal in 60% of cases in this outbreak

It is hoped the boy may have developed antibodies that could help Dr Brantly fight off the infection, which has no vaccine or specific treatment.

The ebola outbreak is the worst in history and has killed 729 people in West Africa, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which announced a $100m plan to tackle the disease.

In Sierra Leone, which accounts for around a third of all deaths from the disease, President Ernest Bai Koroma declared a state of emergency, saying ebola "poses as an extraordinary challenge".

Officials at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, said they expected one of the ill Americans to be transferred to its facility in the coming days, though they declined to say which one.

Health workers' clothing and equipment must be sterilised

Dr Brantly's wife and two children returned to their home in Texas before he displayed symptoms of the disease in the Liberian capital Monrovia.

The husband and fellow missionary of 59-year-old Ms Writebol is only allowed to visit her through a window, or while wearing a protective suit.

US health authorities on Thursday recommended against non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the three African nations worst affected by the outbreak.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan plans to meet the presidents of the affected nations on Friday in Conakry, Guinea.

Sierra Leone health workers carry the body of an ebola victim

She said they need to take the response "to a new level".

On Thursday, Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency and called in troops to quarantine ebola victims, a day after Liberia also introduced sweeping measures.

The Sierra Leone football squad has been barred from travelling to the Seychelles for an African Cup of Nations qualifier because of fears over the virus.

So far, one US citizen has died from ebola, in Nigeria, after he took a flight from Liberia.

Hospitals in the UK are taking precautions for any ebola outbreak

That case is prompting the International Civil Aviation Organization to consider introducing passenger screenings for the disease.

Two other American volunteers remain in isolation in West Africa after coming into contact with an ebola sufferer, who later died.

The pair - working for America's Peace Corps movement - have not displayed symptoms but are under observation.

The Peace Corps said on Wednesday it was evacuating 340 volunteers from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

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Commonwealth Games Athlete Tested For Ebola

An athlete competing for Sierra Leone at the Commonwealth Games has revealed he spent four days in isolation over fears he had brought the deadly ebola disease into the UK.

Moses Sesay, who came to Scotland to compete in the cycling time trial, fell ill last week and was admitted to hospital.

"I felt tired and listless," he said. "All the doctors were in special suits to treat me. They dressed like I had ebola. I was very scared."

Tests eventually gave Sesay the all-clear and he was allowed to compete in the event, ultimately finishing last.

Medical staff treating ebola patients have to wear special protective suits

But the 32-year-old said he and his team-mates are worried about returning to their homeland once the Games are over.

More than 220 people have died in Sierra Leone after contracting the disease - more than any other country.

"All of us are scared about going back," Sesay told the Mirror.

"We have a three-month visa in our passports and, if I have the opportunity, I will stay here until this ends."

More than 700 people have died after contracting the disease in Africa

Health officials have been warned to be on the lookout for any unexplained illness in people returning from countries where ebola is present.

One union leader said British border, customs and immigration staff feel unprepared to deal with potential cases of the disease, although the Home Office said there was a "well-established plan to deal with different scenarios".

Dr Colin Ramsay, from Health Protection Scotland, said patients could be screened for ebola if they show symptoms including a fever, headache or sore throat, especially if have travelled from an affected area within the last three weeks.

Putting such patients in isolation is a "standard precaution" and not unusual, he added.

Games organisers stressed the athletes' village has not been affected

A spokesman for Glasgow 2014 stressed there is "no ebola in the athletes' village", while Dr Ramsay said there is nothing to suggest there is any risk to sports stars competing in Glasgow.

"People have a misconception about ebola," he said.

"It is spread, primarily, through contact with bodily fluids, not casual conflict, so it wouldn't be sufficient just to share a house with someone.

"There has to have been close contact to have a substantial risk of being infected with the disease."

Meanwhile, a US doctor infected with ebola has insisted the only available dose of an experimental serum go to a fellow American patient in Liberia.

Dr Kent Brantly asked for the unit of blood to go to missionary Nancy Writebol, as the World Health Organisation announced a $100m (£59.2m) plan to tackle the outbreak.

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Israel Strikes Gaza Market During Partial Truce

At least 17 people have been killed and more than 200 wounded in an Israeli strike on a market, Palestinian officials say, shortly after Israel said it was observing a four-hour humanitarian ceasefire.

Medical officials said the strike hit a busy market in the Shejaiza neighbourhood between Gaza City and the Israeli border.

Pictures from the scene showed limp, lifeless bodies lying in pools of petrol and mud.

The dead included several children and a Palestinian journalist wearing a press vest.

The airstrike took place during a partial humanitarian truce

At least 110 people were killed across Gaza on Wednesday, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to more than 1,350.

On the Israeli side, 56 soldiers, two Israelis and a Thai national have died since the start of the offensive on July 8.

That includes three soldiers who Israel said were killed in a booby-trapped house in Gaza.

Israel had said it would halt assaults in areas of Gaza where troops were not "currently operating" until 7pm local time (5pm UK time).

The UN chief has said the attack on the school was 'unjustifiable'

Hamas denounced the truce as a publicity stunt in the wake of a deadly attack on a UN-run school, and continued firing rockets into Israel.

The school in Jebalya refugee camp, where some 3,300 Palestinians were sheltering, was hit around dawn.

At least 19 people, including children, were killed, many of them as they slept.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said it told Israel "17 times" the building was being used by refugees, although it also confirmed other schools had been used to store weapons. The UNRWA chief Pierre Krahenbuhl said the attack violated international law.

Jabalya is one of eight UN refugee camps in Gaza

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack as "unjustifiable," saying there was "nothing more shameful than attacking sleeping children."

The United States, meanwhile, offered its sharpest criticism of the conflict yet, saying it was "extremely concerned" that Palestinians seeking refuge in shelters were not safe, although it did not specify who was responsible.

Jebalya was the second UN-run school to be hit in the past week, with a complex in Beit Hanoun struck last Thursday, killing at least 15 people.

Three Israeli soldiers were killed and several injured in Gaza on Wednesday

Israeli Defence Forces Spokesman Lt Colonel Peter Lerner told Sky News Israel was still investigating the attack.

But he said Hamas militants near the school were known to have fired mortars at soldiers before the school was hit, and that there was an exchange of fire.

On the 23rd day of the conflict, Israeli TV said progress was being made to achieve a peace deal. An Israeli delegation has now arrived in Egypt for discussions.

Israel says its ongoing operation is meant to stop Hamas rocket fire and demolish a sophisticated network of tunnels.

Hundreds of homes have been razed to the ground in Gaza

More than 2,600 missiles have been fired from Gaza in the past three weeks, the Israeli army said.

Meanwhile, the leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, issued a rare statement, saying there will be no end to the fighting until the blockade of Gaza is lifted.

According to UNRWA, about 10% of Palestinians - more than 200,000 people - have been displaced by fighting.

The figure is triple that seen at the peak of the 2008/9 conflict, with the organisation warning all of its camps are now full.

UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness told Sky News the agency is at "breaking point."

Justine Greening, the international development secretary, described the situation as "dire", as the UK pledged an extra £3m to provide a month of emergency food for more than 300,000 people.

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Nato 'Unprepared' For Possible Russia Attack

Nato is badly prepared for a potential attack by Russia on a member state, a parliamentary report has warned.

An influential group of MPs says that the recent conflict in Ukraine has revealed "serious deficiencies" in Nato's preparedness to counter threats.

The report - by the Commons Defence Committee - suggests a "radical reform" is needed.

It suggests that the risk of a conventional military assault by Russia on a Nato member state remains "low".

Pro-Russia separatists ride a tank in Donetsk

But the report says the risk of an unconventional attack using the kind of "ambiguous warfare" tactics deployed by President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine is "more substantial".

The 28-nation alliance should urgently undertake a "radical reform" to prepare for either eventuality, said the report.

This would include establishing a continuous presence of Nato troops in its "vulnerable" Baltic members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

It would mean pre-positioning military equipment in the three former Soviet states, said the cross-party panel of MPs.

The report comes after the downing of MH17 in Ukraine

"Dramatic" improvements should also be made to existing rapid reaction forces and large-scale military exercises should be conducted.

And the MPs said that Nato should reconsider its Article 5 commitment for all members to come to the aid of any member which is attacked.

They said Article 5 needed refining to make clear that this includes countering unconventional threats such as cyber-attacks and irregular militia.

The committee also called on the UK Government - which hosts a Nato summit in south Wales in September - to show leadership.

Russia has already been accused of fencing of South Ossetia

The UK was urged to invest in analysis and expertise on Russia, which has become "seriously degraded" over recent years.

The MPs urged David Cameron and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to open the summit by declaring a commitment on defence spending.

They want the UK to maintain spending at or above the 2% of GDP target set by Nato for its member states.

"Nato is currently not well-prepared for a Russian threat against a Nato member state," said the report.

"A Russian unconventional attack, using asymmetric tactics - the latest term for this is 'ambiguous warfare' - designed to slip below Nato's response threshold, would be particularly difficult to counter.

"And the challenges, which Nato faces in deterring, or mounting an adequate response to, such an attack poses a fundamental risk to Nato's credibility."

Committee chair Rory Stewart said: "The risk of attack by Russia on a Nato member state, whilst still small, is significant. We are not convinced that Nato is ready for this threat."

Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said: "We have not seen the report by the UK Defence Select Committee but we'll study it carefully once it's published."

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Gaza Conflict 'Is Like An Endless Horror Film'

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent, in Gaza City

"Stay safe," people keep telling us.

"Where?" I always reply.

One of the harsh realities of this war is that there seem to be no red lines or boundaries.

People here are locked inside a tiny, cramped territory while the Israeli army bombs their homes, businesses, schools and hospitals.

A Palestinian mourns during a funeral in Khan Younis, southern Gaza

Some 23,160 buildings have been damaged in the past three weeks, including 560 houses that were specifically targeted, according to the Health Ministry.

Most of the time there is no electricity, so at night you can only listen to what's happening around you in the dark.

Parents watch as their children die, children watch as their parents die - it's like a horror film.

The hardest part is how to convey the emotion and explain the events you are witnessing to people who live thousands of miles away and have likely never been to Gaza.

Smoke rises from the Gaza Strip after an Israeli shelling

How do you do the story justice, remaining calm and fair?

Journalists are obsessed with the idea of balance, but what throws us off is that this is not an equal battle.

Israel says it is defending its civilians from rockets indiscriminately fired at them and underground tunnels used to infiltrate and kill soldiers.

Hamas says it is defending their civilians from an Israeli imposed siege that has strangled Gaza and affects every part of daily life.

Smoke trails from rockets fired towards Israel from the Gaza Strip

The sad reality is that this war will likely end with Israel keeping Gaza under a blockade, which means Hamas will continue to resist - if not with rockets then tunnels, if not with tunnels then something else.

And if it's not Hamas it will be another group. The violence will continue as long as there is a cause.

Covering this war has been just as devastating as in 2008/9, the last time Israel launched a ground assault and I was inside Gaza.

Back then, people felt they were paying the price for a battle between Hamas and Israel.

This time, after seven years of living under siege, many sound hopeless and support Hamas (they call it "the resistance") because they feel there is no other way to end the misery they are living in.

My parents tell me stories of going on holiday to Gaza when they were young.

It has a beautiful coastline and when the drones and jets are quiet you can hear the waves crashing on the beach.

But the last few years of the blockade have been especially tough and Gaza is now a ghetto of 1.8 million people with many living in refugee camps surrounded by bombed out buildings.

Yesterday, at a UN school turned shelter, a woman asked me where I was from.

"Egypt," I replied, expecting her to lecture me about the country's complicity in the siege and how much she hates Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi.

But instead she said in a strong, sad voice: "Take me back with you."

It's simple really: people in Gaza, like elsewhere in the world, just want a chance to live with dignity.

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Hamas Defiant As Gaza Suffers Bloodiest Day

The leader of Hamas' military wing has issued a rare statement, saying there will be no end to the fighting with Israel until the blockade of the Gaza Strip is lifted.

In an audiotape played on Al Aqsa TV, Mohammed Deif put his weight behind Hamas' longstanding demand that the punishing seven-year border blockade be brought to an end.

Israel and Egypt closed their borders with Gaza after Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, resulting in severe restrictions on the flow of goods and people.

His comments came as Tuesday's death toll in Gaza hit 128 - making it the bloodiest day of the three-week conflict.

More than 120 people were killed in Gaza on Tuesday alone

Mr Deif, who has survived numerous assassination attempts and has been in hiding for many years, criticised the killing of civilians in Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages.

He said his Qassam Brigades had chosen to target soldiers rather than ordinary Israelis.

His statement followed another failed truce attempt, this time announced by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the West Bank. 

There is widespread support in Israel for the Gaza offensive

Hamas, which is not a member of the PLO, denied reports it had agreed to the deal and Israel rejected any agreement that did not come directly from the group.

Palestinian delegates, headed by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, were expected in Cairo where they will attempt to negotiate a deal.

However Hamas' refusal to end rocket fire until its demands are met and Israel's intensified military assault in Gaza means there is little hope of an imminent deal.

Israel stepped up its bombardment by land, air and sea on Tuesday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a "prolonged campaign" against Hamas.

A UN aid agency was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike

The latest fatalities include multiple members of at least five families. 

An employee of a UN aid agency and his brother were reportedly killed when shrapnel from a strike hit a car with UN markings in Jebaliya.

Power supplies were also crippled by the destruction of the territory's only power plant.

A spokesman for Gaza's electricity distribution company said the plant, which supplies two thirds of the territory's energy needs, was hit by shells fired from an Israeli tank, a claim which could not be verified.

Israel buried more soldiers on Tuesday who were killed in Gaza

The total Palestinian death toll now stands at 1,200. Another 7,000 people have been injured and thousands are said to have fled their homes.

Israel has lost 53 soldiers, along with two civilians and a Thai national.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched the aerial offensive against Gaza on July 8, declaring the aim was to halt rockets fired by Hamas and its allies into Israel.

The ground invasion began shortly afterwards in order to destroy a network of cross-border tunnels which Hamas militants are reported to be using to infiltrate Israel.

The destroyed plant supplies two thirds of the territory's energy needs

Israel says five of its soldiers were killed late on Monday after militants entered Israel using one such tunnel.

US Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated support for Israel's right to defend itself, but said the US is working towards deescalating the conflict.

He told reporters: "We are working very carefully with our Israeli friends in order to reduce the civilian loss of life, to prevent this from spiralling downwards into a place from which both sides have difficulty finding a way forward in order to address the underlying issues".

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Ossetia Fenced Off As Ukraine Tensions Grow

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

As the crisis in Ukraine continues, Russia has been accused of attempting to exert pressure elsewhere in its former sphere of influence.

Russian border guards are constructing a vast "security fence" across disputed territory in the former Soviet state of Georgia, establishing a de facto border around the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Georgia says the move is a creeping annexation of its territory and a violation of its sovereignty.

Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war over the region in 2008.

Russia is one of the few countries to recognise South Ossetia as an independent state and supports it both economically and militarily - most other countries and the government in Tbilisi consider it to be part of Georgia.

Amiran Gugutishvili whose orchard has been fenced off

Construction of the fence has accelerated over the last twelve months, as Georgia moved towards signing a free trade deal with the European Union.

The fence divides villages, and in some cases houses, separating families from their livelihoods and neighbours.

We met 66-year-old Amerin Gugutishvili in the village of Gugutiankari, where he has lived all his life.

He showed us his beloved home, which was burned out in the 2008 war.

"Every time I come here I lose five years of my life," he said, wiping tears from his eyes with his cap.

But after the war, came the fence.

One day he found Russian troops fencing off the orchard which had been his main source of income for the last three decades.

They told him the land was in South Ossetia now, and that he would be arrested if he tried to cross.

"They were with automatic weapons," he told us.

"What could I say? I don't have an automatic rifle.

"I am just an ordinary person, they are with rifles."

So now he has no choice but to watch the fruit rot on the trees.

David Vanishvili, 80, who finds himself in South Ossetia

It's too dangerous to rebuild the house so close to the fence, you can be detained for going too close, so they're living in an old school with three other families.

It is immaculately tidy and Amiran's wife, Tina, has tried to make it as nice as she can, but she is ashamed that they are living like this.

"We worked a lot and now we are trapped," he explained. "They left us without the house, they burned it."

"Without the house and without the orchard," Tina continued. "They fenced off our orchard."

"In winter it's very cold, there's no wood."

She showed us a picture of her five-year-old grandchild, Andriy.

"He's a lovely boy," she said, "My happy light, my star, everything, the only happiness, the rest is war."

In another village, on the far side of the fence, we found an 80-year-old man.

David Vanishvili was born in what he thought was Georgia in 1934, he doesn't understand how he's ended up in South Ossetia, behind layers of razor wire.

"I'm like a prisoner here," he told us through the fence, "Can't go here, can't go there."

"They said it's South Ossetia now."

He told us his pension is paid in the Georgian currency, lari, but the shops over there only take Russian rubles.

"I can't buy bread, salt, they don't accept Georgian money - how can I live like that?"

The EU has a monitoring mission here, deployed as part of the ceasefire agreement in 2008.

Georgia and South Ossetia (borders are approximate and some are disputed)

They patrol and record the ongoing construction of the fence, and the impact it's having on the lives of people here, but their powers are strictly limited.

The monitors are unarmed and have no access to the breakaway region so cannot travel to the far side of the fence.

Both the US and Nato have condemned the construction of the fence, but Russia says South Ossetia has the "unassailable right" to take such measures to "ensure the security of its borders and its citizens."

South Ossetia delegated control of its border to Russia in 2009, citing the absence of its own border force.

Georgia says all this has little to do with the sovereignty or otherwise of South Ossetia, and everything to do with Russia projecting its power, and maintaining a military presence on its border.

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Hamas Leader's House 'Hit By Israeli Missile'

The home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been hit by an Israeli missile, according to the Gaza Interior Ministry.

An Israeli aircraft fired a missile at the house early on Tuesday causing damage but no casualties, the ministry said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman had no information on the report but was checking for details.

An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires towards the Gaza Strip

Mr Haniyeh's son confirmed the strike on his Facebook page and added that the house of the former Hamas Gaza prime minister was empty.

Hamas said that its TV station Al-Aqsa TV was also targeted but the station continued to broadcast.

As night fell over Gaza City, army flares illuminated the sky and the sound of intense shelling could be heard.

The military warned thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes in areas around Gaza City - usually the prelude to major army strikes.

Relatives of the dead are inconsolable at the Al-Shifa Hospital

A number of rockets fired from Gaza were launched toward various regions in southern and central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area.

At least one of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome system. 

Earlier, Israel accused Hamas of misfiring two rockets - one of which struck Gaza's main hospital and the other a refugee camp, killing nine children.

A Palestinian official said at least 10 people in total were killed in the strike on the camp, and a further 46 injured.

A young girl is treated my medics for her injuries

However, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) denied responsibility for the attacks and said it had not been operating in the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, an Israeli army spokesman, said claims the IDF was responsible were "ridiculous".

He told told Sky News: "The Israeli Defence Forces did not carry out any strikes in that area. Shifa Hospital was not a target, nor was the Shati Beach camp.

"Both of those locations were struck by terrorist rockets that were launched towards Israel and fell short."

An Israeli soldier hurt in a mortar attack is stretchered away by comrades

The IDF also tweeted: "Since the beginning of the operation #IDF has documented approximately 200 rockets & mortars that landed short within #Gaza."

Israeli media, meanwhile, reported nine soldiers had been killed - four in mortar strikes on Eshkol in southern Israel, and another five in combat in Gaza.

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US Images Show Rockets 'Fired From Russia'

The US has released satellite images that it claims show rockets have been fired at Ukraine from within Russia.

The images, which come from the US Director of National Intelligence and have not been independently verified, also purport to show that heavy artillery for pro-Russian separatists has crossed the border.

Their release appears to be a part of Barack Obama's push to hold Russia accountable for its activities in Ukraine - and persuade European allies to apply harsher sanctions on Moscow.

Officials say the images prove heavy weapons were fired between July 21 and July 26 - after the July 17 downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane that killed all 298 people on board.

Moscow has denied allegations of involvement in eastern Ukraine, claiming the US is conducting "an unrelenting campaign of slander against Russia, ever more relying on open lies".            

US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday, reportedly urging him to stop the flow of weapons from Russia into Ukraine.

One image shows dozens of craters around a Ukrainian military unit and rockets that can travel more than seven miles.

The accompanying memo said another image provides evidence that Russian forces have "fired across the border at Ukrainian military forces and that Russian-backed separatists have used heavy artillery provided by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian forces from inside Ukraine".

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Obama Calls For 'Immediate' Ceasefire In Gaza

US President Barack Obama has called Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to urge an "immediate, unconditional" ceasefire in Gaza.

The call came as Hamas fired more rockets at Israel, despite claims it had accepted a UN request for a 24-hour extension of a humanitarian truce in Gaza.

Mr Obama "made clear the strategic imperative of instituting an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire that ends hostilities now and leads to a permanent cessation of hostilities," the White House said in a statement.

The President will be joined in his plea by the United Nations Security Council when it releases a statement calling for a "durable and fully respected ceasefire" on Monday morning.

A 20-year-old Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip was buried on Sunday

The temporary truce, which comes ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid marking the end of Ramadan, started at 2pm local time (noon UK time).

Sky News correspondents in Gaza and Israel say fighting has since calmed on both sides, although Israel has not formally agreed to the ceasefire.

In the call, Mr Obama "underscored the United States' strong condemnation of Hamas' rocket and tunnel attacks against Israel and reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself."

But he also "reiterated the United States' serious and growing concern about the rising number of Palestinian civilian deaths and the loss of Israeli lives, as well as the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza," according to the White House.

A Palestinian man mourns the death of his relative in the Gaza conflict

Immediately after the ceasefire was due to take effect, Mr Netanyahu said there had been continued rocket fire into Israel.

In a series of interviews with US media, he said Hamas was "violating its own ceasefire".

He told CBS Israel he would not allow a "ruthless terror organisation... to decide when it's convenient for them to stop for a moment, rearm, and continue firing on our citizens and our people."

Earlier on Sunday, the sound of Israeli shelling could be heard in Gaza, where Palestinian medics said at least 11 people were killed in airstrikes.

Palestinian civilians are suffering severe food and water shortages

Sky News' Sherine Tadros, at a UN school in Gaza City, said more than 160,000 civilians have sought refuge in dozens of temporary shelters and are suffering from major food and water shortages.

Some civilians say they have not been able to shower or wash their children in over a week.

The Israeli army confirmed it did fire the mortar round that hit a UN school in Gaza on Thursday where 15 people died.

Israel bombarded Gaza for much of Sunday

A spokesman said it was a stray round meant for Hamas militants in the area who had been attacking Israeli forces.

But he said the schoolyard was empty at the time, and the shell could not have killed anyone.                 

In total, more than 1,030 Palestinians have died since Israel launched a military operation more than two weeks ago.

The number of Israeli troops killed has risen to 43. Three civilians have also been killed in Israel, including a Thai national.

International efforts are continuing to try and thrash out a more permanent ceasefire.

And the Pope made an emotional plea for peace in his weekly address in St Peter's Square.

In unscripted remarks, Pope Francis said: "Please stop, I ask you with all my heart, it's time to stop. Stop, please."

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Israel Extends Gaza Ceasefire For 24 Hours

Israel has extended its humanitarian truce in Gaza by 24 hours - but says it will retaliate if Hamas fires rockets from the territory.

An unnamed Israeli official said the ceasefire had been prolonged until midnight (10pm UK time) on Sunday at the United Nations' request, though troops would continue to demolish Hamas tunnels.

Hamas immediately rejected the idea.

"No humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza," spokesman Fawzi Barhum said.

Some 132 bodies were pulled from rubble in Gaza during Saturday's truce

Hamas resumed rocket fire towards Israel after a 12-hour break in hostilities on Saturday. 

Some 132 bodies were reportedly pulled from the rubble in Gaza during the lull, while the pause allowed Palestinians to stock up on supplies.

The resumption of rocket fire by Hamas led police to clear a protest in Tel Aviv, where thousands of Israelis were demonstrating against their government's military operation.

Anti-war protests also took place in London, Paris, Frankfurt and other cities.

Israelis demonstrated against their government's military operation

Meanwhile, world leaders continue their attempt to thrash out a wider ceasefire in Paris.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have now died since Israel launched a military operation 19 days ago.

Some 42 Israeli troops have died in combat, and three civilians have been killed by rocket fire into Israel.

On Friday Israel rejected a seven-day ceasefire backed by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

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Airline Chief: Some Flight Paths Are Unsafe

A Malaysia Airlines official has called for the creation of a new body to decide which flight paths are safe following the MH17 crash in Ukraine.

Hugh Dunleavy, the company's commercial director, said airlines could no longer rely on decisions made by existing industry bodies on which volatile regions are secure to fly over.

Despite flying over a conflict zone, MH17's flight path had been approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the Ukrainian authorities and the European airspace service provider Eurocontrol, Mr Dunleavy said.

Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur is believed to have been brought down by a missile fired by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

This map shows the flight path of MH17 before it crashed

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he called for airlines and existing aviation bodies to "review existing processes and set more stringent standards".

"Ultimately, we need one body to be the arbiter of where we can fly," he said.

"This tragedy has taught us that despite following the guidelines and advice set out by the governing bodies, the skies above certain territories are simply not safe.

"No longer should airlines bear the responsibility of deeming flight paths safe or unsafe. We are businesses, not agencies.

"And it is not reasonable for us to assess all of the issues going on in all of the regions in the world, and determine a safe flight path.

"For the sake of passenger and crew safety we need to insist on a higher level of authority."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, meanwhile, has joined calls for Russia to be stripped of hosting the 2018 World Cup as part of tougher sanctions.

He said it was "unthinkable" at present that the tournament could go ahead in the country blamed by the West for supplying arms to the separatist rebels.

President Putin is coming under increasing international pressure

Football's world governing body Fifa this week ruled out calls from some German politicians for Russia to be boycotted, insisting the tournament could be "a force for good".

But Mr Clegg told The Sunday Times that allowing it to go ahead without a change of course by President Vladimir Putin would make the world look "so weak and so insincere" in its condemnation of Moscow's annexation of Crimea and support for the rebels.

"If there's one thing that Vladimir Putin cares about, as far as I can see, it's his sense of status," he said.

"Maybe reminding him that you can't retain the same status in the world if you ignore the rest of the world, maybe that will have some effect on his thinking."

Russia has reacted angrily to additional sanctions imposed by the EU, saying they would hamper co-operation on security issues and undermine the fight against terrorism and organised crime.

Russia's foreign ministry also accused the US of contributing to the conflict in Ukraine through its support for the pro-Western government in Kiev.

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