Gaza shelling by Isarel leads to deadliest day of conflict

Gaza has suffered highest dealth toll since Israel's offensive began, with at least 87 people reported killed on Sunday 67 of them in one area.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deaths in the Shejaiya district east of Gaza City were a "massacre". Witnesses spoke of bodies lying in the streets.

A humanitarian truce  was agreed in the area, but lasted less than an hour.

Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.

Israel said that 13 of its soldiers had been killed since Saturday night.

The soldiers were all from the Golani Brigade, the Israel Defense Forces said.

It brings to 18 the number of Israeli soldiers who have killied in th offensive.

The ceasefire in Shejaiya was meant to last from 13:30 to 15:30 local time (10:30-12:30 GMT), according to an Israeli military spokesman.

But a BBC team on the ground reported an exchange of fire less than than an hour after the truce began.

Both sides blamed the other for violating the truce.

Israel earlier said it had expanded its operation - Launched 13 days ago against Hamas militants.

Famillies 'devastated'

The  BBC's Yolande Knell, in Gaza City. says there have been scenes of panic with thousands of residents
fleeing the Shejaiya area.

The death toll rose  sharply over the weekend, with the number of Palestinians killed more than 425 since the operation began, according to Palestinian health officials.

They say the number of wounded from the operation now stands at more than 3,000.

Paramedics said the rescue workers have so far not been able to get to the eatern part of Shejaiya, an area very close to the Israeli border and about three kilometres (1.2 miles) away from Gaza City, which has seen heavy shelling. Sunday's death toll is expected to rise.

The majority of those killed are civilians, the UN says.

In other devolopments:

- The Israeli military said it "neutralised" two militants who "emerged from a tunne;" in southern Gaza, with no harm to Israeli troops.

- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is due to arrive in Qatar later to meet Mr Abbas

- Hamas is continuing to fire rockets into Israel, with one landing the city of Ashkelon