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Tue 01 Jan 2009Israel hopes to pull out troops ahead of Obama inauguration

INSIDE GAZA:ISRAEL hopes that most of its troops will be out of Gaza today, in time for the inauguration of Barack Obama as US president.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit the coastal enclave today, and will be the first world figure to go to Gaza since Israel halted its offensive. Mr Ban will also visit southern Israel, officials said.