The bloodshed continues in Gaza Strip with 500 Palestinians dead -mostly civilians- and 27 Israeli dead – 25 are soldiers.

The U.S. now take a direct role in diplomatic efforts, and the presence of John Kerry today in Cairo proves it. “We have serious concerns about the rising number of Palestinian civilian deaths and the loss of Israeli lives,” US president Obama said. “And that is why it now has to be our focus and the focus of the international community to bring about a ceasefire that ends the fighting and can stop the deaths of innocent civilians, both in Gaza and in Israel.” 

The U.S. Secretary of State promised that US would provide $ 47 million in humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza Strip who are the main victims of this conflict between Israel and Palestine.

John Kerry is expected to remain in Cairo until Wednesday morning

This has been the worst conflict between Israel and Hamas since 2009 with more than 500 dead Palestinians, including 112 children according to estimates published by UNICEF. The wounded are more than 3,000, whereas tens of thousands have left their homes because of air and land attacks.

At the same time, French President Francois Hollande said that “everything must be done to put an immediate end to the suffering of the civil population in Gaza,” during the telephone conversation he had with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.