UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas at the start of HIS week-long peace mission to the Middle East. Speaking after talks with Egyptian leaders in Cairo, Ban also appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Meanwhile Israel intensified its offensive against Hamas with 60 airstrikes overnight. Palestinian medics now put the death toll at nearly one thousand. +++ SYN-MAZ +++