Gaza/Tel Aviv - The death toll of five days of ferocious Israeli air raids against Hamas targets in Gaza has reached 400, de- facto health minister Basam Naim said Wednesday.

Some 2,000 Gazans have been injured, about 300 of whom are in serious condition, causing the death toll to rise rapidly, he said.

The official of the radical Islamic movement ruling Gaza claimed that half of Gaza's ambulances were out of service due to lack of petrol.

Four Israelis have also been killed and several dozen injured by Palestinian rocket attacks at southern Israel since its Operation "Cast Lead" got underway Saturday.

Baghdad  - Two US soldiers have been killed in separate incidents in Iraq, putting the number of US casualties for December to 14, the US army said on Wednesday.

Washington  - US President George W Bush telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday for an update on the fighting in the Gaza Strip and to explore ways to end the conflict.

The White House has said that Bush will support a ceasefire only if Hamas militants stop firing rockets into Israel.

"President Bush thinks that Hamas needs to stop firing rockets, and that is what will be the first steps in a ceasefire," Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said in Crawford, Texas, where Bush is vacationing.

Kiev  - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday called a Russian offer on gas pricing "unacceptable" and urged negotiators to work harder to reach an agreement before a Kremlin-set midnight deadline for full-scale cut in gas deliveries.

Yushchenko rejected Russia's proposal to hike the price of natural gas sold to Ukraine from 179 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres to 250 dollars, on grounds the Russian offer left practically unchanged transit fees to be charged Russia by Ukraine for natural gas shipped to Europe.

Colombo - Government troops have taken control a strategic town in northern Sri Lanka after weeks of heavy fighting around the area as the army continues its advance into rebel-held areas, military officials said Wednesday.

Paranthan a town located 385 kilometres north of the capital, was taken by troops on Wednesday evening as Mi 24 helicopters provided air support to advancing troops.

There were no details of any rebel casualties.