Israel carried out a fifth day of bombardments across the Gaza Strip as the Palestinian territory lost electricity, following one of the deadliest attacks against Israel in history.

Many Israelis are frantically looking for clues about loved ones believed to be held in Gaza. Ido Dan keeps watching a video that appears to show Hamas militants kidnapping his 12-year-old nephew.

With high poverty and unemployment and severe restrictions on movement, life in the Gaza Strip was already difficult before Israel's retaliatory offensive began this week in response to Hamas attacks.

Analysts have long accused Iran of backing militant groups in the region to counter Israel.

At a highway rest stop near where Hamas gunmen killed Israelis and took hostages, Israeli volunteers are helping rescue civilians and support soldiers who are being dispatched to the front lines.

The Israeli military said it has largely regained control of areas in the south that had been attacked by militants from Hamas. The announcement came on the fourth day of war with Hamas.

Governments in Europe pledge support for Israel and European Union freezes aid to Palestinians after days of escalating violence in Israel and Gaza.

There are still a number of unaccounted-for U.S. citizens, U.S. officials said, as the fighting entered its third day.

Saturday began in Israel with a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas followed by Israel launching air strikes on Gaza.

Palestinian health officials said 13 people were killed in all, including the commanders, their wives, several of their children and others nearby.

An alleged shooting attack in the northern occupied West Bank killed two women and seriously wounded another, Israeli medics said on Friday.

Militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets toward Israel and Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas sites in Gaza a day after the deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank in years.

Most Gazans support resistance against Israel and Hamas and Islamic Jihad still do have a following, though some Gazans are frustrated with the groups. Analysts see a rift forming between them.

A Palestinian gunman opened fire at a bus near Jerusalem's Old City early Sunday, wounding eight Israelis in an attack that came a week after violence flared up between Israel and militants in Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes flattened homes in Gaza and rocket barrages into southern Israel persisted, raising fears of an escalation in a conflict that has killed at least 24 people in Gaza.