One strike targeted a group of people in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, killing a man and a 13-year-old boy, while a second hit Gaza City, killing five people, three of them children, he said. Dozens of civilians were also injured.

A seven-year-old girl was paralyzed in the airstrike and others moved from Gaza for treatment.

The fresh Israeli offensive resumed late on Tuesday after Egyptian efforts to mediate a lasting truce in the month-long Gaza war collapsed in Cairo.

The breakdown in talks and the resumption of violence marked a bitter ending to nearly a week of Egyptian-led diplomacy meant to end the conflict.

Since the truce collapsed, at least 29 Palestinians have been killed and more than 150 wounded, according to Palestinian officials.

It followed the breakdown of Egyptian-mediated talks aimed at producing a long term truce after more than a month of fighting that has killed more than 2,056 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

The U.N. Security Council deplored the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip and called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume negotiations.

British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant read a council statement Wednesday expressing ``grave concern at the return to hostilities following the breach of the Egyptian-brokered humanitarian cease-fire.'' He said the council calls upon the parties ``to reach an immediate humanitarian cease-fire'' and resume talks in Cairo.

Lyall Grant said Security Council members are discussing a possible resolution that would call for a sustainable cease-fire.

Jordan has circulated such a resolution, but Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar told reporters Wednesday that ``we're taking our time to talk to the Americans, to the Europeans'' because ``the whole idea is to have a Security Council that's effective.''

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