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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \cb2 BY NATHAN BYRNE \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 ANCHOR NEVILLE MILLER \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Word from the Middle East is that Israel and Hamas are close to a deal
to stop fighting. But {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/20121120151030529630.html"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 Al Jazeera reports}} Israel is dropping leaflets on Gaza warning people to get out.
\f1\fs24 \ \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \'93Aerial attacks have increased in the past few hours despite talk that a
ceasefire could be imminent. That comes as Egypt\'92s President Mohamed Morsi says the
fighting in Gaza will end in a matter of hours.\'94 \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Truce or no truce? Reports from the Gaza Strip are conflicting, but most accounts
agree the deal is close. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20413625"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 Here\'92s the BBC}}. \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \'93If a ceasefire was agreed, it would end nearly a week of fighting between
Israel and Hamas. More than 110 Palestinians and three Israelis have been killed since
last Wednesday.\'94 \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 According to Reuters, a Hamas official says Israel and Hamas did agree to
an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. But {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/20/world/meast/gaza-israel-strike/index.html?hpt=hp_t1"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 CNN reports \'85}} \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \'93 \'85 a spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister saying no agreement
has been reached yet, says that diplomacy, though, does continue. But until an agreement
has been reached, there is no agreement.\'94 \f1\b0\fs24 \
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://news.sky.com/story/1013745/hamas-israel-and-gaza-close-to-ceasefire"}}{\fldrslt \f0\fs26 \cf3 Sky News reports}}
\f0\fs26 \'97 an Egyptian source says there\'92s no final decision yet. According to that source
\'85 \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 "Egypt has sent the final proposal ... and we are waiting for the final
Israeli response \'85 If there is agreement on this it means we are close to announcing
a ceasefire." \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Whatever the actual progress is, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict.html?pagewanted=all"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 writers for The New York Times credit U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton\'92s
\'85}} \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \'93 \'85 active role in efforts to defuse the crisis [which] added a strong
new dimension to the multinational push to avert a new Middle East war.\'94
\f1\b0\fs24 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Mrs. Clinton left President Obama on his Southeast Asia tour to meet with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.}