World leaders have urged Israel to show restraint after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to "expand" military operations in the Gaza Strip following its assassination of a Hamas leader.
US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon both telephoned Mr Netanyahu ahead of an urgent UN Security Council meeting on the deteriorating situation.
According to the White House, Mr Obama reiterated US support for Israel's right to self-defence against rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip but urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory.
They agreed that Hamas must stop the attacks, which have seen more than 120 rockets fired into Israel over the last five days, in order to allow tensions to ease.
Mr Ban told the Israeli PM of his expectation that "Israeli reactions are measured so as not to provoke a new cycle of bloodshed," the UN said.
He also expressed his concerns about "an alarming escalation of indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Israel".
Head of Hamas' military wing Ahmed al Jaabari was killed So far, at least seven people, including the head of Hamas' military wing, Ahmed al Jaabari have been killed in more than 50 airstrikes - codenamed Operation Pillar Of Defence. Two young children were also among the dead.
The Israeli military said it was ready, if necessary, to send ground troops into Gaza, according to its official Twitter account. It has also been authorised to call up army reserve units for .
In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu said: "If it becomes necessary, we are prepared to expand the operation.
"We will not tolerate a situation in which Israeli citizens are threatened by rocket fire."
Defence Minister Ehud Barak, appearing with the prime minister, said: "We are at the beginning of the event, and not the end."
Palestinian militants said the airstrikes had opened "the gates of hell" for the Jewish state.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said another 55 rockets had been fired at Israel in the aftermath of the airstrike that killed Mr Jaabari.
A car destroyed by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants Gaza's Hamas government welcomed the decision of Egypt, one of only two Arab countries to have a peace treaty with Israel, to pull out its envoy and urged Arab leaders to take "decisive action".
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said: "The occupation committed a dangerous crime and crossed all the red lines, which is considered a declaration of war."
The emergency Security Council meeting came at the request of Egypt, Morocco and the Palestinians.
"Once again the international community is witness to Israel's malicious onslaught, using the most lethal military means and illegal measures against the defenseless Palestinian civilian population," the Palestinian Authority's UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, told the Council.
"A direct firm message must be sent to Israel to cease immediately its military campaign against the Palestinian people and to abide ... by its obligations under international law."
Speaking to reporters, Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor urged the international community to condemn "indiscriminate rocket fire against Israeli citizens - children, women".
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