Aircraft struck three training facilities of Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, around the coastal territory, but caused no casualties, medics and eyewitnesses said.
They also hit buildings in Gaza City, Deir el-Balah in the southern part of the strip, and in the northern town of Jabaliya, injuring an unspecified number of people.
There was shelling reported in Beit Lahiya, in the far north of the strip, where Israel had earlier warned residents of an impending assault.
Israel also moved against Hamas in the occupied West Bank, arresting five of the movement's lawmakers in Nablus and Jenin, Palestinian security officials told AFP.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said "too many" Palestinian civilians have been killed, as the Palestinian death toll from the punishing Israeli campaign hit 172 with another 1,230 people wounded.
#UNSG Ban Ki-moon demands end to #Israel #Palestinian fighting http://t.co/QcKVTKztu5
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) July 14, 2014
Ban also urged Israel to scrap plans for a potentially devastating ground offensive, fears of which have sent Gazans fleeing from the north.
About 17,000 people have taken shelter in installations of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, the agency said in a statement.
Displaced families from north #Gaza coming to emergency shelters in @UNRWA school, Gaza City pic.twitter.com/bfe5ilHCr1
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 13, 2014
Israeli media reported that a security cabinet meeting ended late Sunday with no orders for a ground assault.
But despite increasing calls for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military was hitting Hamas "with growing force", warning there was no end in sight.
"We do not know when this operation will end," he told ministers.
US Secretary of State John Kerry phoned Netanyahu to renew a US offer to help mediate a truce and he "highlighted the US concern about escalating tensions on the ground," a senior State Department official said.
Kerry also said that he was engaged with regional leaders "to help to stop the rocket fire so calm can be restored and civilian casualties prevented".
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would ask Ban to "put the State of Palestine under the UN international protection system" in order to address the violence in Gaza.
As the death toll rose, the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said most of the victims were civilians, putting their number at more than 130, among them 35 children and 26 women.
It also said Israel had hit 147 homes and badly damaged hundreds of others.
So far, no Israelis have been killed, although militants in Gaza have pounded the south and centre of the country with about 715 rockets since the fighting began on July 8, an army spokesperson told AFP late Sunday. Around 160 had been intercepted, she said.
For the first time during the Israeli operation, a rocket fired from Syria hit the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan heights but landed on empty ground, causing no casualties.
Israel responded with artillery fire at Syrian army positions, the Israeli military said.
Four rockets fired from southern Lebanon struck northern Israel early Monday, Lebanese security sources said.
No casualties were reported in Israel and the army responded with artillery fire.
An AFP correspondent in southern Lebanon reported more than 30 shells were fired, but there was no information yet on casualties.
Early Sunday, Israeli naval commandos staged a brief ground assault in northern Gaza on a mission to destroy longer-range rockets, with the army warning residents to leave the area ahead of a major assault on the sector.
Hamas told Gazans to ignore the Israeli warnings.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior Israeli military official said the area was rife with rocket launchers and would be targeted further.
In northern Gaza, even before the army's warnings went out, thousands of residents of the blockaded coastal strip began fleeing the traumatic violence, an AFP correspondent reported.
"It was the middle of the night, and I gathered the children, they were so afraid," said Samari al-Atar, breaking down in tears as she described how her family fled barefoot with shooting all around.
Saturday's death toll was the highest yet with 56 people killed, including 18 people who died in a single strike on a house in Gaza City, medics said.
Eight people were killed in air strikes on Sunday and another two died early Monday of injuries received in earlier raids.
Pope Francis appealed to world leaders for both prayer and diplomacy to halt the bloodshed, while the German and Italian foreign ministers were both poised to head to the region to join truce efforts, their offices said.
With Palestinian civilians bearing the brunt of the violence, clashes erupted in central Paris as thousands of people protested against Israel and in support of Gazans. Protesters also rallied across Asia to condemn the Israeli offensive, with 3,000 gathering in Sydney and hundreds more in Hong Kong, New Delhi and Jakarta.
Israel has warned that preparations are under way for a possible ground incursion.
But Israeli media said that a meeting of Netanyahu's security cabinet ended Sunday night without giving the order for ground operations.
The latest escalation began on June 12 when three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered, triggering a crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank and an uptick of rocket fire from Gaza, which worsened after a Palestinian teen was killed by Jewish extremists on July 2.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Hahahahaha...........joke of the century...
I am from Vancouver,canada and I wanted to say that the EU supports Israel so it is hypocritical of them to call a ceasefire.I have not heard of a single EU gov. condemning Israel for attacking Gaza.The EU govs. and the govs. of Canada and the USA are complicit in the war crimes committed by the Israeli gov. against the People of Gaza.These crimes wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for the reactionary support of Israel by the western govs.Israel should be condemned by all western govs. and they should be helping the people of Gaza.There can be no peace with the apartheid Israeli gov.Shame on western govs.for been complicit in the massacre of the people of Gaza.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan Arabs did very little or nothing for us in all our wars with India. just fyi in case you already didnt know. They may even openly support India in 2014 and beyond for monetary reasons.
All muslim nations should cancel UN membership as a protest against Israel's flagerant violation of all UN resolutions and treaties. They are bombing civilian areas and using excuses that they are getting attacked. Look at the comparison in casualties, Palestinians 172 confirmed killed, over 1000 injured. In Israel, I am yet to hear or read a report about any confirmed deaths. It's a shame for muslim countries to stay silent and specially our Gonglu PM who does not have guts to send warnings to Israel. Pakistanis should come out on the streets and pressurize the govt.before Pakistan becomes next country.
It all started when 3 Israeli teens were kidnapped and later found murdered by the Hamas.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: You must be day dreaming.
@Shafaq: Good proposal! UNO should be replaced by the threeSharifs! But what about Mr Moon?
Rex Minor
Very foolish of kicking the Hornets Nest! Now let go a decent discussion on the real topic above. Don't you know fellow countrymen, who not to invite at the party?
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi khan Then what are you waiting for genius, go ahead and attack India. I am sure Muslim countries will stop our oil supplies and all the Muslim armies will support you which would make a formidable fighting force. But before that I have one request, just know the result of 6 day war with a tiny country called Israel waged by all the Arab armies.
@pks: "do whatever you want its not India’s issue"
Lol what a sore looser. Trolling whole day on Pakistani website, commenting on every issue which doesn't remotely relate to India and still has courage to say that. You Indis will never be mature
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
Please make it fast. Time is running up.......
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: first keep India out of your rant. do whatever you want its not India's issue. we have nothing to gail by attacking your failed country. to other part- do it.
If only the world's Muslim countries joined together to pressure Israel with military action for any further violence. Pakistan should be the first to do this, and follow the lead of Turkey's efforts. Pakistan is the only Muslim airforce which can defeat Israel via air superiority, and the only Muslim nuclear nation. It is Pakistan's duty to help Muslims of Gaza.
If India attacks us, we shouldn't worry as our actions would lead to more support from Muslim nations. Afghanistan, Iran, Arabs, Turks will help us as they did Afghanistan during Soviet invasion. Time to act.
Apart from praying for this to end , there is little we can do . May the gods show mercy on these people .
UN should be immediately dissolved.