Live blog: Gaza under attack

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Khaled Meshal, a leading Hamas figure, in Qatar today.

The meeting was "good and important", with both sides stating their interest in reaching an immediate ceasefire and allowing Egyptian involvement in any progress towards a truce, according to a member of Abbas's entourage quoted by Haaretz.

The Palestinian news site Quds al-Ikhbariya reports that explosions have been heard in Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area, site of Israel's second most populous city Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson has publicised a health centre apparently established by Israel near its border with Gaza to help "sick and wounded Palestinians."

Reports are circulating on social media that al-Qassam Brigades have announced an attack on an elite Israeli army unit that killed 10 soldiers.

According to reports, including one from the Gazan government official Abu ya-Mennazly, the soldiers were killed in an ambush east of Shejaiya district.

This news is as yet unverified, and Israeli officials have yet to comment on the allegations.

550 Palestinians are now dead, and 3,350 injured reports the Health Ministry spokesperson.

The latest death is a woman who was killed in a strike in Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

Translation: Targeting of a car belonging to the civil defence forces! Is this one of their targets? #BankruptBank #GazaUnderAttack

"The message to take from our steadfastness is that the Palestinian people have decided to end the occupation in all of Palestine's land - this decision will be in the hands of the people."

"We ask the people of the world to stand behind the demands of the Palestinian people."

5 Israeli soldiers have been killed so far on Monday, according to an Israeli statement quoted by al-Jazeera.

The correspondent for Saudi news channel al-Ekhbariya reports that al-Qassam Brigades claim to have killed two Israeli soldiers in an attack on a Jeep east of Shejaiya district. 

Three Egyptian officials say that Egypt may be willing to amend its truce proposal to accommodate Hamas, reports Reuters.

According to a senior Egyptian official quoted by the site, "Egypt does not mind adding some of Hamas's conditions provided that all involved parties approve."

Egypt's previous truce initiative was passed by the Israeli parliament last week, but was shot down by Hamas, who said they had not been consulted in its drafting.

Protests are taking place in the predominantly Arab city of Nazareth in northern Israel now, with people on the ground reporting that there have been arrests and tear gas.

Translation: Images from Nazareth now.

Update: Nine people now killed in attack on house of al-Qussas family in central Gaza, bringing death toll to 548, reports Palestine's Health Ministry spokesperson.

The spokesperson uploaded pictures of shocked relatives accompanying their family members to hospital after the attack to Facebook, but these pictures are now unavailable.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has touched down in Cairo, on his way from Kuwait during a whistlestop tour of the region, reports AFP.

He will urge ceasefire talks during his brief visit.

The Moroccan website YaBiladi is reporting that up to 100, 000 protestors marched through Rabat, the capital of Morocco, on Sunday to call for an end to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Among the marchers was the Minister of Foreign Affairs Salaheddine Mezaouar and figures from the Islamist movement 'Al Adl wal Ihsane'.

US Secretary of State John Kerry travelled to Cairo early Monday for crisis talks on Gaza, following President Barack Obama's call for an "immediate ceasefire" between Israelis and Palestinians.

Kerry will seek "an immediate cessation of hostilities based on a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement," the White House said, stressing the need to protect civilian life both "in Gaza and in Israel."

According to the State Department, Kerry supports Egypt's initiative to bring about a ceasefire. His visit to the region comes in parallel with a high-profile peace mission by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Obama spoke Sunday by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his "serious concern" after more than 100 Palestinians and 13 Israeli soldiers were killed in the bloodiest day since the Gaza offensive was launched.

As more human remains are pulled from the rubble, the Palestinian death toll had risen to 501 by Monday, the fifth day of the Israeli ground operation.

Kerry's high-stakes trip came as US media reported that two American members of the Israeli Defense Force were killed in Gaza fighting.

Two American members of the Israeli army have been killed in Gaza fighting, US media reported late Sunday, citing relatives and friends.

The State Department said two US citizens were killed in Gaza violence and released their names, but did not immediately disclose their occupations.

"We can confirm the deaths of US citizens Max Steinberg and Sean Carmeli in Gaza," spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a two-sentence statement.

"Out of respect for those affected by this, we have nothing further at this time."

Carmeli, 21, of Israeli parents, grew up in Texas, while Steinberg, 24, grew up in southern California, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Both were members of the Israeli army's Golani Brigade, the Times said.

Steinberg, who lived in the city of Beersheba, joined the Israeli army in late 2012 and was a sniper in the brigade, according to the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.