The latest headlines from BBC News, I’m Chris Rodgers.
President Obama says a surface-to-air missile fired from a rebel-held area in East Ukraine brought down Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. The plane crashed on Thursday, killing all 298 people on board. He described it as an outrage of unspeakable proportions and called for an immediate ceasefire in the region.
European monitors have visited the crash site although they were prevented from searching the wreckage of the aircraft by armed men. The team from the European security organization intend to return to the area on Saturday morning.
Israel has stepped up its ground offense in Gaza as it tries to prevent Hamas from firing rockets into its territory. United Nations officials say the number of displaced Palestinians seeking shelter from the incursion has nearly doubled to more than 40,000. The UN Secretary General is due to visit the region.