Updated 16.22
The UN child agency UNICEF says at least 192 children have been killed in Gaza in 18 days - that translates to 10 a day.
"The death toll and devastation mount with each passing hour" it says.
It adds that an attack yesterday on Beit Hanoun Elementary School - the third school hit this week - is proof that much more needs to be done to protect innocent children.
"Using or attacking school premises where children have taken refuge from the violence is unacceptable under any circumstances. UNICEF calls on parties to the conflict to respect the sanctity of children and schools".
It comes as five Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the West Bank - four shot by Israeli troops and the other by a female settler.
Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinians in the village of Beit Ummar near Hebron, medics said.
In a separate shooting, Israeli settlers fired on a group of Palestinians near the northern city of Nablus, killing Khaled Oudeh (18) and wounding four others after they threw stones at their car, security officials said.
The shot was fired by a woman, Israeli army radio reported.
Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene and their gunfire killed a fifth man, Tayyib Oudeh (22), the officials added.
An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed there had been "confrontations" between troops and Palestinians near Nablus "in which settlers were involved", but gave no further details on the Beit Ummar shooting.
Israel has also said that a missing soldier whom Hamas claimed to have abducted was actually killed in battle.
The deaths came as Israeli riot police have charged down skirmishes near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as fears of more trouble in the area sparked a lockdown on Friday prayers.
Only men aged over-50 are being allowed into Al Aqsa mosque after a massive protest in the West Bank last night resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians.
Israeli security forces have been put on heightened alert and deployed in and around Jerusalem's Old City after Palestinians declared today a "day of rage" following the violent and deadly clashes.
Reporter David Bowden, in east Jerusalem, said "We have already had the first minor skirmish. Riot police charged down the road a short time ago towards a group of youths who were protesting, throwing rocks".
"The riot police fired baton rounds and they arrested at least one protester who was dragged away with his hands behind his back. A water cannon followed the police down, and actually they had set fire to a couple of massive tyres, and they used the water cannon as a fire truck and put that fire out".
"I don't want to over-egg this. It wasn't a great conflagration, but it gives you an idea of the tension here already. It didn't take very much for the police to scoot down this road under a barrage of rocks and start arresting people".
"And we are expecting more of this to happen as more and more people come out from the mosque" he added.
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said "We are taking all necessary precaution in order to prevent disturbances and if necessary, respond as we did last night. Once we receive clear indications that there are going to be disturbances on the Temple Mount it is necessary for an implementation of age limits in and around the Old City".
"Therefore, if there are disturbances, we will deal with them in and around the different neighbourhoods in the Israeli-Arab villages, and not on the Temple Mount where it is more difficult. We are taking all of these measures in order to prevent people from being injured or possibly killed around this area".
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) speaks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Egypt | Image:UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Amid the growing tensions, Israel and Hamas have been trading more fire, while US Secretary of State and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pressed for a ceasefire as the Palestinian death toll rose to 815.
Hamas attempted to attack Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv with three rockets - two of which were destroyed mid-air by the Israelis. A pregnant woman was among this morning's casualties in Gaza following a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes.
Surgeons managed to save the 23-year-old's unborn child, but a 12-year-old and 15-year-old were said to be among those killed in the strike on the southern city of Rafah, health officials said.
More than 140,000 people have fled the conflict, while some 33 Israeli soldiers have been killed, and three civilians have died in Israel from rocket fire.
Call for 'humanitarian corridor'
Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling for the creation of a humanitarian corridor in Gaza. It says access to health care is being seriously undermined.
"As of 22 July, reports indicate that 3,993 people have been injured, most of them women and children, and 622 people killed" the WHO says.
It adds that four hospitals, 12 clinics, 10 ambulances, a specialized centre for the disabled, and two water desalinisation centres have been damaged.
"Al Aqsa hospital is the latest of four hospitals in the Gaza Strip which have been damaged since 7th July. The hospital has come under direct fire, resulting in deaths and casualties with severe damage to the surgical ward, the intensive care unit and life-saving equipment" it adds.
It wants to see a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of the injured, as well as for the supply of medicines.
"The humanitarian corridor should extend to protect the safe passage of patients to access crossing points and exit outside the Gaza Strip for medical care. Likewise, the transport of essential aid should be facilitated at crossing points between the Gaza Strip and Israel and neighbouring countries" it says in a statement.
Calls for boycott of Israeli goods
At home, SIPTU is calling on its membes to boycott Israeli goods. The union's National Executive is condemning the Israeli attacks on Gaza. SIPTU is also asking the government to maximise pressure on Israel to ensure it complies with UN resolutions and international law.
While Mandate - the union that represents shop workers - has called on Irish retailers to stop stocking Israeli produce.
It has written to more than 20 companies - including Dunnes, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Supervalu.
Mandate says shoppers are complaining to its members about Israeli produce being stocked in light of the ongoing violence in Gaza.
The union says customers and staff are faced with a dilemma of conscience. Gerry Light is assistant General-Secretary of Mandate.
There have also been calls to recall the Dáil to discuss the situation in Gaza. Sinn Féin has written to the Taoiseach asking for him to recall the Dáíl from its nine-week summer break to discuss the crisis.
Party president Gerry Adams says a full Dáil sitting is needed to explain why Ireland abstained in a vote at the UN Human Rights Council calling for an inquiry into alleged Israeli war crimes.
Sinn Féin says it is seeking support from all parties in the Dáil to hold the emergency sitting as soon as possible.
"Irish citizens have been appalled at the Israeli Government's military onslaught against the civilian population of Gaza" Mr Adams said.
"Incredibly the Irish government refused to reflect that widespread concern when it abstained in Wednesday's crucial vote at UN Human Rights Council".
"The resolution, which the Government refused to support, sought to establish an international Commission of Inquiry into violations of human rights in Gaza. It also condemned the killing of Israeli civilians by rocket fire from Gaza".
Ireland was one of 17 abstentions to the UN vote on Wednesday
"Most Irish citizens cannot understand why their government did not back this reasonable and balanced resolution. t was a considerable honour when, two years ago, Ireland won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the first time".
"I believe the Dáil must be reconvened at the earliest opportunity to discuss this very serious situation and I wrote to An Taoiseach yesterday to this effect. Thus far, I have received no response" he added.
While Labour's Joe Costello has also hit out at Ireland's decision to abstain from the UN vote on a human rights inquiry into Gaza.
Deputy Costello - who lost his job as Minster for Trade and Development in the recent reshuffle - says Ireland has a strong track record on international relations and conflict resolution.
The UN resolution was passed by 29 votes, but all EU members abstained - and the United States opposed the resolution.
Joe Costello says Ireland was "sucked in" by what he called "an anodyne EU position". He says Ireland should not have abstained from the vote.
