The Palestinian representative at the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to stop the "savage onslaught" against civilians in Gaza.

"We condemn in the strongest terms this atrocity by the Israeli occupying forces, using this massive firepower against civilians who have the right to demonstrate peacefully and they have been demonstrating peacefully," he told reporters.

Mr Manous also warned that the US embassy move would deepen "the resentment and atmosphere of hatred between people instead of moving in the direction of peace".