Cairo - Many entertainers and organizations in the Arab world have cancelled their New Year's celebrations in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip following four days of a massive Israeli air offensive.

Four days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the tiny enclave has left at least 380 Palestinians dead and more than 1,800 injured, prompting angry demonstrations that have overtaken the festive mood typically behind New Year's celebrations.

Tel Aviv - Israeli careta

Tel Aviv  - Two upgraded Russian-type Grad rockets struck the southern Israeli city of Beersheba Tuesday night, for the first time since Palestinian rocket attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip began seven years ago.

An empty kindergarten was struck in the city as well as an open area just to the south of when the rockets fell after darkness, Israeli media reported.

New York - The diplomatic mediating group on the Middle East peace process on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire that would be "fully respected" by Israel and Hamas and called on both sides to allow humanitarian missions into the Gaza Strip.

The group, known as the quartet, said in a short statement issued at UN headquarters in New York that it will remain in touch to try to bring four days of fighting to an end.

It called on "all parties to address the serious humanitarian and economic needs in Gaza and to take necessary measures to ensure the continuous provisions of humanitarian supplies."

It agreed "on the urgent need for Israelis and Palestinians to continue on the road to peace."

Paris  - European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday discussed calling for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas to allow humanitarian aid into the embattled Gaza Strip, diplomatic sources said.

The discussion focused on the details of how long a ceasefire should last and how the combatants could move beyond it to a longer-lasting truce, diplomats said.

But Israel has already ruled out the idea of a 48-hour ceasefire as proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, a spokesman for caretaker prime minister Ehud Olmert said.

Gaza City  - Israeli jets bombed the Hamas cabinet building and the presidential headquarters used by the radical Islamic movement ruling Gaza, in a new round of airstrikes Tuesday night.

The cabinet complex in south-west Gaza City had already been targeted in previous days, but the final blow completely levelled it to the ground, witnesses said.