US Secretary of State John Kerry has pledged $US47 million ($A50.85 million) in humanitarian aid for the battered Gaza Strip as he flew to the region to intensify efforts for an immediate truce.
Kerry, who has voiced willingness to tour the region as long as needed, started his mission in Cairo where he met visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The two leaders both called for an end to two weeks of violence that has claimed 573 Palestinian and 27 Israeli lives.
The top US diplomat defended ally Israel's right to strike against Hamas militants who have been raining rockets from the Gaza Strip. But Kerry voiced worries for children, women and other civilians hurt by the campaign.
"We are deeply concerned about the consequences of Israel's appropriate and legitimate effort to defend itself," Kerry told reporters as he met Ban.
Kerry said that the United States would provide $US15 million to a $US60 million emergency appeal from UNRWA, the Palestinian refugee agency.
The UN agency said that the number of Palestinians seeking refuge at its sites in Gaza has soared to more than 100,000 more than double the figure in the 2009 Gaza conflict.
The US Agency for International Development will also contribute $US32 million to meet emergency needs in Gaza, the State Department said.
Ban and Kerry both urged Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, to embrace an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire that has been accepted by Israel.
Hamas has demanded that Israel agree to an end to its blockade of Gaza and release of scores of prisoners before the militants halt attacks, the latest of which saw 10 militants infiltrate southern Israel early on Monday.
"Only Hamas now needs to make the decision to spare innocent civilians from this violence," Kerry said.
Ban said that Hamas "should immediately stop firing rockets."
But Ban added: "While I understand how and why Israel has to respond militarily, there is a proportionality and ... most of the death toll (has been) Palestinian people."
Speaking earlier at a joint news conference with Ban, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that his government would not concede to Hamas's demands to alter the ceasefire proposal.
Kerry plans to hold his own meetings on Tuesday with the Egyptian leadership including President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
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