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.’’

European Union leaders on Wednesday condemned the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel and the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, stressing that ‘’Israel has the right to protect its population from this kind of attacks.’’

According to French police sources, a Gaza solidarity demonstration called for Saturday in Paris by Hamas supporters has been banned by police authorities ''due to grave risks to public order in a context of aggravated tension''.

Israel on Tuesday accepted an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire with Hamas and ordered its military to halt operations against targets in Gaza, but Hamas rejected the proposal outright and continued firing rockets against Israeli civilians.

“If anyone was still in doubt about the nature this terrorist group, here’s proof again: Hamas wants more war, wants more civilian casualties, wants more rockets fired at Israel, and its plan still is to destroy the Jewish state.''

Initiative calls for end of all ''hostilities'' from both sides, meeting in Cairo between Israeli, Palestinian representatives within 48 hours after quiet restored; Kerry expected to visit Egyptian capital.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls strongly condemned violent anti-Jewish attacks in Paris on Sunday during which pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to storm two synagogues after an anti-Israel demonstration.