Both the Daily Mail and Evening Standard report on yesterday’s meeting between Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hammond reiterated that the UK holds Hamas responsible for instigating the conflict in Gaza through indiscriminate rocket fire. However, as noted by the Independent and Telegraph, Hammond also warned that Western public sympathy for Israel’s military operation is waning. The Financial Times says there is a growing split between the Conservative Party and Labour over the Gaza conflict.

The Independent reports the ongoing diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire, especially through US Secretary of State John Kerry who remains in the region. The Times says that many Israelis are eager to see the threat of rockets and tunnels removed even if it means the continuation of the military operation.

There is widespread coverage in the Financial Times, Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, Times, Metro, Sun, Daily Mirror and Daily Express of shelling at a United Nations agency school in Gaza yesterday, which killed 15 Palestinians who had sought refuge there. The Telegraph emphasises that both Hamas and Israel have blamed each other for the incident. Israel says that warnings had been given to evacuate the school, from where Hamas had fired anti-tank weapons and did not discount the possibility that Hamas munitions had caused the deaths. Meanwhile, the Telegraph includes a feature on Gazans forced to flee their homes from the fighting while in the Guardian, Harriet Sherwood explains that Gaza is not a conventional battlefield and that the lines between military and civilian there are blurred.

In the Times, the former-commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, Col. Richard Kemp compares the threat of Hamas rockets to that of German ‘doddlebugs’ during World War Two and warns that condemnation of Israeli action in Gaza only serves to encourage jihadists across the world to use human shields. In the Telegraph, David Blair says that neither Israel nor Hamas has a long-term strategy but instead are both looking “to improve their position” ahead of the next round of fighting. An editorial in the Sun calls Gazans “helpless victims of terrorist psychopaths” but says the “ruthlessness of Israeli forces is hard to stomach.” An editorial in the Times says that now is the time for Israel to seek a ceasefire before the Arab world’s tepid feelings towards Hamas evolve into open support. In the Guardian, Daniel Barenboim says that a ceasefire is not enough and that Israel and Hamas must talk to each other.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph, Independent, Times, Evening Standard, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail and Daily Star all report that players from Israeli football team, Maccabi Haifa were attacked on the pitch by anti-Israel protestors during a pre-season friendly match in Austria.

Metro covers yesterday’s inauguration of Israel’s new President Reuven Rivlin, who succeeds Shimon Peres. Rivlin emphasised at yesterday’s ceremony, “we are not fighting the Palestinian people, we are fighting terrorism.”

In the Israeli media, Israel Hayom leads with the headline “Our troops have made impressive achievements.” However, in Yediot Ahronot, Alex Fishman argues that Israel needs to score a significant achievement, such as destroying the tunnels, in order to restore deterrence. In Israel Hayom, Yoav Limor says that “Hamas’s achievements are more limited than it had wanted.” Similarly in Maariv, Orr Heller writes that although Hamas prepared numerous surprises for the IDF, “Hamas did not succeed in scoring a significant operational achievement, and paradoxically enough, this only lengthens the campaign.”

Haaretz leads with John Kerry’s continuing efforts to broker a ceasefire. The report says that both Israel and Hamas are expected to respond today to Kerry’s suggestion of a 5-day humanitarian ceasefire, during which time Israel will continue dealing with the tunnels while a relief package for Gaza and other issues are discussed. Israel Radio news reports an unnamed American official warned that Kerry will not remain in the region indefinitely.

Israel Radio news also reports on major overnight clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the West Bank, especially around Jerusalem and Ramallah. At least one Palestinian is reported to have been killed and several Israeli policemen injured near the Kalandiya checkpoint.

Meanwhile, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom all prominently cover the swearing-in yesterday of Israel’s new President Reuven Rivlin, who succeeds Shimon Peres. In his maiden speech, Rivlin said that Israel is currently fighting terrorism in Gaza, not the Palestinian people.