Senior Israeli ministers have decided to hold off from launching a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon is urging all sides to the Gaza conflict to immediately cease their fire, warning at a press conference in Cairo that an escalation would put the entire region at risk.
US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is to travel to the region to help peace talks.
Clinton will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, then discuss the crisis with Egyptian and Palestinian leaders, but not with Hamas.
Seven Palestinians were wounded in strikes on Gaza overnight, but no one was killed in the first night without fatalities since the Israeli air campaign began nearly a week ago.
Over 100 people have died since the conflict escalated.
