The Israeli-Palestinian conflict invokes accusations of journalistic bias like no other issue. And photojournalists are at least as susceptible as reporters and editors of being accused of favoring one side or the other. Patrick Witty, Foreign Picture Editor for The New York Times, joins The Takeaway to discuss how he makes sure that the photos he selects tell a true, balanced story.

Follow the links to view the photos discussed in the segment. The photo of the three boys killed by mortar fire, the doctored photos of an Iranian missile test, and the photos as used by the New York Times.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair is back in the spotlight again in his new role of special Mideast envoy representing the U.S., the E.U., Russia, and the United Nations. He is in Cairo today for a series of meetings with Israel and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Mr. Blair says the elements are in place for a cease-fire to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip. For an on-the-ground report of events in Cairo, we are joined by Magdi Abdelhadi, the Arab affairs analyst for our partner the BBC.

Despite a United Nations resolution calling for a cease-fire, Israel's government just announced that it will press ahead with its offensive into Gaza. Hamas is equally unimpressed with the U.N.'s vote because it did meet their demands and they were not consulted. Mike Lanchin, the BBC's Jerusalem Correspondent, joins us for analysis.

Cairo has taken the lead in negotiating peace between Israel and Hamas. The Egyptian government is holding peace talks to end the conflict hosting Israel yesterday and Hamas tomorrow. These talks are held against a backdrop of widespread protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza. For a closer look at the situation in Cairo we are joined by Magdi Abdelhadi, BBC's Arab affairs analyst.

Lebanon's prime minister is condemning rocket attacks on Israel and has called for investigations by both the army and the United Nations. This has not stopped Lebanese guerrillas from firing a second barrage of rockets into northern Israel, striking a nursing home and injuring two people. Israel responded with artillery fire. The attacks threaten to open a northern front in Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Jim Muir is covering this story from Beirut for our partner, the BBC, and he joins us now live.

For the second day in a row, Israel has halted its military strikes in Gaza for three hours. The three-hour break is meant to allow Gaza residents a brief window to stock up on food, fuel and supplies before bunkering down again. Muhammad Abushaban is a 22-year old Gaza resident who left his house for the first time yesterday since the start of the military action. He joins us now for an on-the-ground report.

Rockets fired from Lebanon hit northern Israel, but it's not quite clear who fired them. Lebanon's prime minister is condemning the attacks and Hezbollah is not stepping up to claim responsibility. The attacks threaten to open a second front in Israel's ongoing struggles, a possibility for which Israel claims they are prepared. Natalia Antelava is covering this story from Beirut for our partners the BBC she joins us now to talk about the simmering tensions in the region.

Rumors of a potential ceasefire in Gaza are swirling through the international press. A government spokesman says Israel "welcomes" a proposed cease-fire cobbled cobbled together by France and Egypt so long as that cease-fire will stop Hamas rocket fire. Hamas says it will only support a deal that includes opening of Gaza's borders. Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy claims that both parties have agreed to the cease-fire. To parse out the welcome news are Rob Watson, the BBC Defense Correspondent, in London and Steven Erlanger of the New York Times joins us from Jerusalem.

Israel has paused its military operations in Gaza for three hours to allow food, fuel, and humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians cornered by the fighting. Meanwhile leaders of the European Union and Egypt are trying to cobble together an international cease-fire plan. But how do you broker peace between Israel and Hamas? Alistair Crooke has special insight. He's a former E.U. Mediator and Director of Conflict Forum, and he has negotiated with Hamas before. He joins us from Beirut.

Dr. Ron Lobel is the medical director of a hospital about 17 kilometers from the Gaza border. His hospital treated both Israelis and Palestinians alike, until the borders closed. Now, he joins John and Adaora from Ashkelon, Israel where he puts a human face on the story of two embattled rivals and his patients who can't return home.

Hours before a cease-fire proposal was ratcheted together by Egypt and France, Israel launched its single deadliest attack in Gaza. The mortar fire hit a school run by the United Nations. At least 30 Palestinians, who were seeking refuge in the school, were killed. Israel claims the targeting was in response to rocket fire from within the school. Needless to say, the U.N. is ticked off. Joining us with details is the New York Times' Isabel Kershner on her way to Gaza.

For more, read Isabel Kershner's article Israel Halts Attack Briefly to Allow Aid Into Gaza in today's New York Times.

As the Israeli ground offensive continues in Gaza, the international foreign press is waging a war of their own. Ethan Bronner, the Jerusalem Bureau Chief for the New York Times, and a pool of foreign press reporters have been consistently denied access to Gaza by the Israeli troops guarding the border. The reporters finally went to the Israeli Supreme Court for the rights to report from Gaza and the Supreme Court agreed that Israel must grant access to the foreign press corps. Yet each day the pool of reporters heads to the border to try and gain access and each day they are turned away. Ethan Bronner joins us now.

Palestinians report that Israeli attacks in Gaza have been intense and news agencies are reporting that at least 18 people have been killed so far today. Of those, only two of the dead have been confirmed as militants. Late Monday, three Israeli soldiers were killed by what Israeli officials say was an errant tank round. Additionally, aid agencies warn that an already dire humanitarian situation is deteriorating. Mike Sargent, from our partner the BBC World Service, joins us to report the latest.

A health official in Gaza says civilian casualties have spiked since the Israeli ground campaign began. The official says at least 70 civilians have been killed in Gaza since Saturday. The latest reports say Israeli troops are dug in outside Gaza City. Only a few reporters are operating inside of Gaza and two of them join The Takeaway to give us the on-the-ground view of the troubles in Gaza. Rushdi AbuAlouf works for the BBC in Gaza and Taghreed el-Khodary is reporting for the New York Times.

To find out more about the increase in civilian injuries, read Taghreed el-Khodary's article in today's New York Times.

This weekend, President Bush weighed in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Vice-President Dick Cheney also made the rounds of talk shows to express support for Israel. As Israel continues its ground offensive in Gaza, there is increasing speculation that they timed their actions against Hamas to benefit from the last few days of the Bush administration. To explain why, Scott Shane, a reporter in the Washington Bureau of the New York Times joins us.

Read Scott Shane's article in the New York Times.

Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza this weekend and started house-by-house fighting. Meanwhile diplomatic efforts by the global community have stepped up and French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders today. Ethan Bronner is the Jerusalem bureau chief for our partner, the New York Times, and he joins us from from the road to Gaza where he is fixing a flat tire.

For a week straight Israel and Hamas have been locked in nonstop air strikes, leaving over 400 dead and 2,000 wounded. Wars between Israel and Palestine have flared up for over the last 40 years. How long is this particular history destined to repeat itself? And, this time around, what countries are positioned to come out ahead? For a look at the worldwide ripple effects of this latest conflict, we turn to Noah Feldman. Noah Feldman is a law professor at Harvard University and a contributor to The New York Times Magazine. He’s also the author of The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State.

The latest conflict in Gaza, and the challenges it poses to the Obama Administration, is the latest data point on a long line of history between the United States and the Middle East. Policy decisions there have profound implications on our global alliances, govern the price of oil, make or break presidencies, and draw us into war. Joining The Takeaway to explain what can we draw from our history in the region is Patrick Tyler, former reporter for The Washington Post and New York Times and author of A World of Trouble: The White House and the Middle East—from the Cold War to the War on Terror.

The Arab League met yesterday in Egypt to discuss ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip. But what happened there wasn’t exactly a show of unity. Turns out the Arab world is having a hard time coming up with a united front as they try to deal with the latest clash between Israel and Palestinians. For more on that meeting The Takeaway turns to Steven Erlanger a New York Times reporter in Cairo.

The new year in Gaza is taking up where the old one left off, in a blizzard of Israeli bombs and Hamas launched rockets. Israeli jets bombed the Palestinian parliament building and navy ships opened fire at Hamas positions along the coastline and Hamas fired at least three rockets into Israel. Meanwhile, the United Nations security council held an emergency session late yesterday. Mike Sargent is covering the story for our partner, the BBC. He joins us from Jerusalem for the latest from the ground.