Egypt unrest: Activists call for mass demonstrations
Thousands flocked to the square overnight after the cabinet offered its resignation to the military council, BBC News reports.
At least 26 people have been killed and hundreds injured in three days of protests against the military rulers.
Amnesty International has criticised the military for failing to keep its promise to improve human rights.
Late on Monday some 20,000 people were estimated to have thronged Tahrir Square after the cabinet of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf announced its offer to resign.
Their numbers were far short of the hundreds of thousands whose demonstrations in the square earlier in the year led to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak as president after 30 years in power.
'Painful incidents'
But the square was again the scene of clashes between security forces and protesters determined to see the military transfer power to a civilian government.
A coalition of political groups has accused the military council of leading a "counter-revolution" and called for a mass demonstration on Tuesday.
Hundreds of people camped out in the square overnight.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has not said whether it has accepted the cabinet's resignation.
A military source told the BBC there was no consensus among the council on whether to accept. The source said the council was also consulting with other political groups.
In a statement carried by the official Mena news agency, the council expressed its "deep regret for the victims in these painful incidents" and called for "the greatest degree of self-restraint".
We don't want these armed forces - these forces who are attacking us"
On Monday evening, ambulances with sirens wailing were seen driving into the heart of the large city-centre square to ferry the injured to hospital.
The clashes began on Saturday following demonstrations against proposed constitutional changes unveiled by the interim government.
The military council produced a draft document setting out principles for a new constitution, under which the military and its budget could be exempted from civilian oversight.
A proposal by the military to delay the presidential election until late 2012 or early 2013 has further angered the opposition.
Protesters want the presidential vote to take place after parliamentary elections, which begin on 28 November and will be staggered over the next three months.
The unrest has cast uncertainty over the future of the elections but the military council has said they will go ahead.
Many people fear the military plans to hold on to the reins of power, whatever the outcome.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says the cabinet's resignation move poses a dilemma for the military. Any future cabinet is bound to demand more power for the civilian government.
Or, he says, the military will be forced to take more direct control, making the generals personally responsible for all that is now going wrong in Egypt.
To learn more go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15831733
