PM 'didn't refer to Mideast insurgence'

The prime minister's office has rejected claims Kevin Rudd referred to the Israeli invasion of Gaza as an "insurgence".

The claim, made in reports by AAP and other media and later corrected to read incursion, was completely incorrect, a spokeswoman for Mr Rudd said.

Several media reports, including AAP, quoted Mr Rudd as describing on Tuesday the action as an "insurgence" by Israeli ground forces.

The official transcript of Mr Rudd's press conference in Sydney shows Mr Rudd described the action as an "incursion".

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Helen Coonan questioned Mr Rudd's use of the word insurgence based on the erroneous media reports.

"If the opposition had bothered to check the official transcript on the prime minister's website yesterday it clearly indicates the prime minister referred to the incursion," a spokeswoman for Mr Rudd said.