John Kerry says he "Cannot condemn strongly enough the actions of Hamas" in firing rockets after offer of ceasefire. Adding, there was reason to believe a deal could still work if the group's political part could prevail over its armed wing.
Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk tells Al Jazeera his group is still studying the Egyptian initiative and would give a response "in the next period".
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "terrorising the region" with its bombardment of Gaza and likened an Israeli politician to Hitler in a broadside likely to further strain fragile relations between the two countries.
"With utter disregard for international law, Israel continues to terrorise the region, and no country but us tells it to stop," Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party at a speech in parliament on Tuesday.
"No tyranny is everlasting, sooner or later every tyrant has to pay the price...This tyranny will not remain unaccounted for," he added.
His words drew chants of "Turkey is proud of you" from his supporters.
Erdogan also criticised an Israeli member of parliament, apparently Ayelet Shaked of the ultra- nationalist Jewish Home party.
"An Israeli woman said Palestinian mothers should be killed, too. And she's a member of the Israeli parliament. What is the difference between this mentality and Hitler's," he said.
[Reuters]