Likud Minister Erdan says operation can't be stopped until a demilitarized Gaza is ensured; says Israel may have to reconquer northern Gaza to ensure this; Steinitz: If we need to, we'll take over the whole Gaza Strip.

US President Barack Obama reaffirmed his ‘’strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself.’’

Thirteen IDF soldiers were killed overnight in an ambush when they encountered fierce fighting in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, in the northern part of the 40-kilometer-long Strip.

Around 3,000 people demonstrated for Gaza Saturday afternoon deying a ban from French Minister of Interior Bernard Cazeneuve.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State John Kerry that the latest declarations of Turkish Prime Minister were ‘’anti-Semitic.’’

“Is Sisi a party (to a ceasefire)? Sisi is a tyrant himself,” Erdogan told reporters. “He is not different from the others.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to the Middle East on Saturday in a bid to end the fighting between Israel and Palestinians.

In a new declaration on the escalation in the Gaza Strip, the European Union called on Israel and Hamas ‘’to immediately agree to a ceasefire.’’

Israel suffers first casualty of ground incursion; Soldiers exchange fire with militants as units seize ground in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Thursday evening instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to start a ground action to strike at terrorist tunnels used by Hamas from the Gaza Strip to infiltrate into Israel.