4:50 AM
Israeli police and rescue personnel at the scene of the bus bombing in central Tel Aviv today.
Israeli police and rescue personnel at the scene of the bus bombing in central Tel Aviv today.
Gideo Markowicz /EPA /LANDOVTuesday's talk of a possible cease-fire has been replaced with news today of an explosion on a bus in Tel Aviv and more Israeli airstrikes on targets in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
The bus explosion injured at least 17 people, according to news reports. Israeli officials are saying that a bomb was left on the bus and are calling this a "terrorist attack." The BBC reports that the "Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV" has issued a statement saying it "welcomes" the news of the bombing. The BBC's Jon Donnison tweets that "Hamas claims responsibility for bus explosion in Tel Aviv broadcatsing statement from mosques in #Gaza."
In the week since Israel began airstrikes on targets in Gaza â€" in response to rocket fire from forces in the Hamas-controlled territory â€" more than 130 people have reportedly been killed on the Gaza side and at least five have died in Israel.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remain in the region. Egypt has been trying to broker a cease-fire or truce. Clinton and Ban are trying to help move that process along.
Clinton has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. She goes to Egypt today. NPR's Philip Reeves reports that "all eyes are on the negotiations there, though no one is under any illusion that these will be easy."
We will update this post with news as the day continues.
