The United Nation’s secretary general on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire as Israel’s pounding of Gaza enters its sixth day.
Ban Ki-moon said he was going to Cairo to join talks about a possible truce.
Ban said he was deeply saddened by the deaths of the Dalou family and other Palestinians, while expressing alarm at the continued rocket fire from Gaza against Israeli towns.
“This must stop,” he said in a statement released late on Sunday. “I strongly urge the parties to co-operate with all efforts led by Egypt to reach an immediate cease-fire.”
The bombardment of Gaza carried on in the early hours of Monday with one blast destroying a Hamas police headquarters.
Few people in Gaza would have got much sleep, says the BBC’s Jon Donnison in Gaza City: as well as air strikes there was the rhythmic thud of shelling from Israeli war ships.
At least nine children were killed on Sunday, and TV reports showing horrific images of their burned and bloodied bodies has been fueling Palestinian anger, adds our correspondent.
Sunday was the bloodiest day of Operation Pillar of Defence, as Israel said it was targeting the homes of Hamas leaders.
Eighty-six Palestinians and three Israelis have died in six days, as Israel hits Gaza from the sea and air while Hamas fire rockets.
Israel’s army said it had targeted around 80 sites overnight, including militant-owned buildings, weapons storage facilities and police stations, bringing its total to 1,350 sites targeted since Wednesday. Palestinian sources said 18 people had been killed in the raids.
It added that one rocket had been fired out of Gaza towards Israel overnight.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he was ready to expand the operation, after Israel authorised the mobilisation of up to 75,000 army reservists.
Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has said an Israeli ground invasion would have “serious repercussions”, saying Egypt would never accept it “and neither will the free world”.
The Arab League, which met in emergency session in Cairo on Sunday, is sending a delegation of foreign ministers to Gaza on Tuesday.
Egypt has been leading efforts to broker a peace deal, with both senior Israeli and Hamas officials in Cairo for talks.
But while the sides may be talking, there is no suggestion they might be about to settle on cease-fire terms.
And while they discuss possible agreements, the bloodshed north of the border continues.
