Diplomatic efforts to broker a truce in Gaza, have intensified with US Secretary of State, John Kerry meeting the UN chief Ban Ki-moon in Cairo. Mr Kerry said, the United States was concerned about Palestinian casualties, but added that Israeli political leadership has the right to use their military might to defend its people.

He said, the US was sending 47 million dollars in aid to Gaza to try to alleviate the immediate humanitarian crisis. The two-week conflict has left nearly 600 Palestinians and 29 Israelis dead.