Israel has rejected international calls for a 48-hour truce in the Gaza Strip to allow in humanitarian aid, says a government spokesman.

Mark Regev said that Israel was not looking for a "band aid", or something that would expire a month from now. But he said dialogue would continue.

The truce is among issues being discussed by the Israeli cabinet.

Israel has launched air strikes on Gaza for a fifth day, and more Palestinian rockets landed in south Israel.

A foreign ministry spokesman earlier said a unilateral 48-hour halt was "unrealistic", as long as Hamas continued to fire at Israel.

The 48-hour ceasefire plan to allow aid into Gaza, proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, was raised during an Israeli leadership meeting late on Tuesday.

Israel's cabinet is meeting to discuss proposals for an immediate suspension of air operations against Gaza.

Truce calls have come from Middle East peace-brokers, including the US and EU, but Israel's top leaders are reported to have rejected the proposals.

A foreign ministry spokesman said a unilateral 48-hour halt was "unrealistic", as long as Hamas continued to fire at Israel.

Air strikes continued on Wednesday, and more Palestinian rockets hit Israel.

The 48-hour ceasefire plan to allow aid into Gaza, proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, was raised during an Israeli leadership meeting late on Tuesday.

Reports of the discussions - involving Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his defence and foreign ministers - suggested any pause in figh

A concerted diplomatic drive is under way to try to end Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip and Palestinian militant rocket attacks.

Both the Quartet of Middle East peace-brokers and EU foreign ministers called for an immediate ceasefire after urgent talks on Tuesday.

The Arab League is due to meet in Cairo later to discuss the crisis.

A possible 48-hour ceasefire plan was raised during a four-hour Israeli leadership meeting late on Tuesday.

Reports of that meeting - attended by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his defence and foreign ministers - suggested any pause in fighting would be accompanied by a threat to send in ground troops if rocket fire into Israel continued.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner had proposed the 48-hour truce to allow a

A concerted diplomatic drive is under way to try to end to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip and Palestinian militant rocket attacks.

Both the Quartet of Middle East peace-brokers and EU foreign ministers called for an immediate ceasefire after urgent talks on Tuesday.

The Arab League is due to meet in Cairo later to discuss the crisis.

A possible 48-hour ceasefire plan was raised during a four-hour Israeli cabinet meeting late on Tuesday.

Reports of that meeting suggested any pause in fighting would be accompanied by a threat to send in ground troops if rocket fire into Israel continued.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner had proposed the 48-hour truce to allow aid in to Gaza. See detailed map of attacks

Fifth d

Iraq has signed deals with Britain and Australia for their troops to stay in the country after a UN mandate expires on 1 January, Iraq's government says.

It says the accords authorise UK and Australian forces to stay until July.

Britain has 4,100 troops based in the southern city of Basra, while Australia has 1,000 soldiers also in the south.

The US - who led the 2003 invasion into Iraq - earlier this year signed a deal with Baghdad allowing its 140,000 forces to stay until the end of 2011.

Apart from the US, UK and Australia, the only countries continuing to provide troops for the Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) are El Salvador, Estonia and Romania.

Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said on Tuesday that separate deal with those co