BBC NEWS | Middle East | Lethal tensions everywhere in Gaza

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Lethal tensions everywhere in Gaza: "You only need visit Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's presidential compound in Gaza city to get a feel for how tense it is here.

Clutching Kalashnikov rifles, members of the elite Force 17 unit and the presidential guard watch through the slits of their black balaclavas at every corner.

They have set up roadblocks made up of crash barriers and big rubbish bins at a 300m (980ft) radius of the president's compound.

Cars approach the soldiers warily. Every driver is asked for identification papers. They are all forced to open up their car boots. The soldiers check for weapons and explosives.

As we inched up to one makeshift road block 100m (330ft) from the Mr Abbas's house, six soldiers surrounded us, pointing their weapons at the vehicle.

'What are you doing?' one of them barked.

After a few minutes, they let us pass. But not before one of the soldiers said in English: 'This is one of the safest places in the world.'

He must have been joking." Read complete post here.