The Australian government Sunday urged Israel and Hamas to agree to a new truce and end the violence in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli warplanes destroyed Hamas targets including a mosque and a TV station on Saturday, killing at least 230 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The latest violence came after a six-month ceasefire between Israel and Gaza militants ended on Dec. 19, when Hamas refused to renew it.
Australia's Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard called for the truce to be reinstated and urged both parties to avoid injuring civilians.
"We are calling on Hamas and other militants to cease shelling southern Israel," Gillard was quoted as saying in Adelaide by the Australian Associated Press.
"Obviously, they have broken the ceasefire and engaged in an act of aggression against Israel. We are echoing the calls from around the world for parties to move back to a ceasefire," she said.