The moves followed the biggest military offensive against Gaza since the 1967 war and one of the bloodiest days for the Palestinians in more than six decades of conflict with Israel.
After a second consecutive day of air strikes, at least 285 Gazans were dead and medical sources in the territory said that there were at least 900 other people wounded, of which 120 were said to be critically injured.
Israel said that the offensive, aimed at security services and government headquarters in the strip, was designed to stop the recent surge in rocket and mortar fire from Gaza-based militants on nearby Israeli towns. One Israeli was killed and several more wounded by rocket fire on Saturday, as Hamas bombarded Israeli targets throughout the weekend.