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Anthony Blinking, America's Secretary of State, continued his shuttle diplomacy of the Middle East with an unannounced visit to Iraq.

Earlier on Sunday, he met Mahmoud Abbas the president of the Palestinian Authority or the PA in Rommelah.

Mr Abbas demanded an immediate ceasefire.

Mr Blinckin has been pushing for humanitarian pauses to let in aid to the Gaza Strip.

The pair discussed a possible role of the PA in Gaza if a mass is destroyed.

Mr Blinkin now moves on to Turkey.

Fighting intensified in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli troops claim to have split the enclave in two and to have encircled

Gaza City. Israel accused Hamas of the systematic use of hospitals to hide its military operations including an underground

command and control center and a rocket launcher. Its troops found launch pads

meters away from a children's swimming pool and playground.

Meanwhile, Gaza's Hamas-controlled government said an Israeli

...