U.N. chief Ban sees "heartbreaking" Gaza damage

GAZA (Reuters) - Voicing shock and anger at the "heartbreaking" devastation, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday to pledge aid for Palestinians after Israeli attacks killed 1,300 and left thousands homeless.

Israel was set to withdraw its remaining troops before the inauguration of Barack Obama as U.S. president, seemingly to avoid clouding the start of a new era in a key alliance. Obama's predecessor George W. Bush endorsed the three-week offensive as a legitimate response to rocket fire by Gaza's ruling Islamists.