The Israeli - Hamas conflict continues to escalate about 24 hours since the start of Hamas' surprise attack - one of the deadliest Israel has faced in more than a generation.

 

More than 230 people have been killed in a wave of air strikes on Gaza by Israel, officials said. Reports said about 250 Israelis has been killed when Palestinian militant group Hamas launched rocket attacks and sent fighters into Israel in the biggest escalation in decades. Dozens of Israelis are believed to have been taken hostage.

 

The Israeli army has asked residents of several areas of the Gaza Strip to flee their homes in preparation for retaliatory strikes against Hamas.

 

PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed "mighty vengeance" on Palestinian militants for what he called a "black day", said a BBC report.

 

The violence continued on Saturday evening - with Tel Aviv and other central Israeli cities hit by a new barrage of rockets and Israel saying they are fighting militants in 22 places.

 

Hamas commander Mohammed Deif said the group had "decided to say enough is enough".

 

World leaders have called for urgent end to violence. 

 

Meanwhile, reports said Israel had fired into Lebanese territory in response to mortar fire from there.

 

A spokesman from the Israel Defense Forces said the firing happened in the Mount Dov area, a tract of land claimed by Israel, Lebanon and Syria near the intersection of all three nations. 

 

Israel has warned Lebanon's militant Hezbollah movement not to get involved in the fighting.