ISRAEL’S military machine continued its relentless bombing of Gaza today, driving up the level of Palestinian deaths to at least 38, most of them civilians.

Tel Aviv’s political and military leaders reiterated their rhetoric about protecting Israel’s population and degrading the capability of Hamas to launch rockets, as international news agencies, including the BBC, parroted these efforts to present the martial capacities of both sides as being on a par.

The Israeli Defence Force said that it had struck about 200 Hamas targets on the second day of its offensive.

However, these targets include the family homes of Hamas commanders, making it inevitable that innocent civilians would also be killed.

“The army is ready for all possibilities,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after holding a security cabinet meeting.

“Hamas will pay a heavy price for firing toward Israeli citizens. The security of Israel’s citizens comes first. The operation will expand and continue until the fire toward our towns stops and quiet returns.”

He has hinted at a ground invasion of Gaza, which was taken up by Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz.

“Despite the fact it will be hard, complicated and costly, we will have to take over Gaza temporarily, for a few weeks, to cut off the strengthening of this terror army,” he told Israel Radio.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded that Israel stop the raids on Gaza immediately.

Arab League secretary general Nabil al-Arabi called for an urgent meeting of the UN security council on Tuesday over the “dangerous Israeli escalation” in Gaza.

Mr Arabi called the attacks on Palestinian civilians “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Convention and international resolutions on occupied Palestine.”

Gaza health official Ashraf al-Qidra said that Israeli air strikes had killed four Palestinians in Shejaiya and two in Zaitoun and two more in Beit Hanoun.

She said that at least 14 Palestinians were killed yesterday, including two paramilitaries.

Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said that Israel had violated the Egyptian-brokered truce that ended exchanges in 2012.

“In the face of this aggression, we affirm that the zionist enemy should not dream of calm and stability,” he said.