President George Bush said on Monday that the Palestinian militant group Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel in order for a ceasefire to take hold in Gaza.

Mr Bush was speaking after the Palestinian death toll from more than two weeks of fighting topped 900, many of them children, according to medical sources in Gaza, and as Israel deployed reserve units for the first time. Thirteen Israelis have been killed, including three civilians, since the assault on the territory began on December 27.