BBC News with Jonathan Izard.

An Israeli air strike on the homes of Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip have killed 11 members of a same family on the bloodiest day since the current fighting began on Wednesday. Several children were among those who died. The armed wing of Hamas said the death would not go unpunished. Wyre Davies has this report.

Across Gaza the homes of at least seven Hamas military officials were hit in massive explosions regardless of who may have been inside. As this bomb site in central Gaza city, mechanical diggers dragged the rubble and twisted metal to one side. A huge crater where a family home once stood. A senior Hamas official Mohamed Dalou and his entire family of ten were killed here today. Israel is targeting Hamas officials it accuses of hiding among civilians, but a number of civilians particularly children being killed or injured in the air strikes, and X Palestinians feelings even more.

An Israeli government envoy has been to Cairo was efforts to negotiate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians to step up. There was no public comment after his meeting with Egyptian officials, but Hamas said negotiations were focus on guarantees for the terms of the ceasefire. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is expected in Cairo on Monday. An Israeli military spokesman, Avital Leibovich says the meantime, the military operation continues.

We are heading on with the plans of our operation until we'll reach the goal of defending Israel. And the equation is really very clear, when it will be quiet in Israel, it will be quiet in Gaza.