Live blog: Gaza under attack

Israel’s opposition leader has called for a general election once the military campaign in Gaza is over.

“The Israeli people will face a tough decision [after this conflict]: does it see a future for the two-state solution or not, which is why I think that after this military campaign we must go to elections,” Yitzhak Herzog, head of the Labour Party, told Israel’s Channel 2.

“The people will have their say because this government has failed on almost every front. Economically, we’re on the verge of an economic catastrophe, not to mention the dead end on the diplomatic front regarding the peace process, which in its way, has led us to where we are now.”

“We have to decide, we can’t hold on to the West Bank as whole. We can’t keep [millions of] Palestinians in a pressure cooker. Those who want the West Bank to be, God forbid, like Gaza, should continue on this path. Those who don’t must pursue a brave [peace] process,” he said.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has called on “resistance groups” to cease executions of suspected Israeli collaborators in Gaza.

“PCHR calls upon the Palestinian National Authority and resistance groups to intervene to stop such extra-judicial executions whatever their reasons or motives are.”

18 Palestinians were executed on Friday in Gaza, seven publicly outside a well-known mosque. On Saturday there were fresh reports of four more people killed on suspicion of passing information to Israel.

The PCHR “sent urgent letters to a number of Palestinian leaders demanding them to immediately and decisively intervene to stop such extra-judicial executions, considering that they cause damage to all of us.” 

“Although we are aware of the circumstances of the ongoing offensive, and the direct impact of employing and using collaborators in carrying out extra-judicial assassinations and other crimes by Israeli forces, we need to confirm the rule of law and respect for human rights.”

327 survivors, and their descendants, of the Holocaust have written a public letter condemning the “massacre” of Palestinians in Gaza.

“As Jewish survivors and descendants of survivors and victims of the Nazi genocide we unequivocally condemn the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and the ongoing occupation and colonization of historic Palestine,” it read.

The letter, published in the New York Times as an advertisement, called for a boycott of Israel.

“We must raise our collective voices and use our collective power to bring about an end to all forms of racism, including the ongoing genocide of Palestinian people,” it said. “We call for an immediate end to the siege against and blockade of Gaza.”

“We call for the full economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel. ‘Never again’ must mean NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE!”

Hamas has reportedly said they will return to Egypt-mediated indirect talks with Israel to discuss a long-term ceasefire.

“Any return to negotiations will depend on if the resistance feels that Israel is willing to meet our demands,” Hamas said in a statement, according to Israeli news site Ynet. “We will not agree to negotiate just for the sake of negotiation,” the statement read.

A key condition on any deal for Hamas is Israel bringing an end to the punishing eight-year long siege of Gaza. Israel has said they must have their security needs met in any potential deal and have pushed for the demilitarisation of Gaza, something Hamas has flatly rejected.

The funeral of a four-year-old Israeli child, who was killed by a mortar attack from Gaza, will take place on Sunday.

Daniel Tregerman was killed on Friday when a shell hit a car in a kibbutz near to the Gaza border and is the first Israeli child casualty in the current war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised revenge for the killing.

“Hamas will pay a heavy price for this terrible terrorist attack,” he said, adding “The IDF and Shin Bet will intensify their operations against Hamas and the terrorist organisations in Gaza until the goals of Operation Protective Edge will be reached.”

At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military strikes on Saturday, including at least two children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry who said dozens have also been injured in the attacks.

Around 60 rockets have been fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip since midnight on Friday, according to the Times of Israel.

Six have been intercepted by the Iron Dome system over Ashdod and Ashkelon.

There have been no reports of any injuries or damage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon that Hamas is committing war crimes and using civilians as human shields.

“The world saw yesterday [when 18 Palestinians were executed for suspected collaboration with Israel] that Hamas, like the Islamic State, carries out mass public executions. In addition, Hamas, like the Islamic State, it persecutes and oppresses minorities," he is reported as saying by the Times of Israel.

“The ideology of these two groups calls for Islamic caliphates and both use the same murderous methods — Hamas is the Islamic State, the Islamic State is Hamas,” he said.

Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal earlier dismissed accusations his group are similar to IS when he said "we are not a religious, violent group." IS have previously accused Hamas of being "unbelievers" as they do not subscribe to their ideology. 

The Palestinian Authority has slammed Hamas for executing 18 alleged Israeli collaborators in Gaza on Friday.

“The executions were done in cold blood and according to Hamas law, which is: who is not with Hamas is against it,” said al-Tayyib Abd al-Rahim, secretary general of President Mahmoud Abbas’ office, according to Ma’an News.

He described the killings as “random executions of those who Hamas called collaborators” and said: “it is enough for our great people in the Gaza Strip that they suffer from the Israeli siege and offensive.”

Rahim said the executions were a “provocative” act by Hamas, revealing that they are “not sincere in reconciliation” and failing to fulfil “commitments towards the unity government”.

A home belonging to the Palestinian Dahduh family was left blazing furiously after being targeted by the Israeli army. Their home was in the Al-Zaytun quarter of Gaza City.

Footage showing the inside of a rocket factory run by Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, has been aired by Lebanese Television channel al-Mayadeen.

Eight Palestinians have been killed and ten injured during air strikes on Saturday, according to Israel Radio.

The radio station cited Palestinian sources as providing their information, as bombings continue across Gaza in the 47th day of Israel's assault on the coastal enclave.