The European Union on Friday condemned Hamas rocket attacks on Israel, and called on Israel's leaders to be proportionate in their response, dpa reported.
"The rocket attacks by Hamas and other factions in Gaza which began this current crisis are totally unacceptable for any government and must stop," said the EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.
"Israel has the right to protect its population from these kinds of attacks. I urge Israel to ensure that its response is proportionate," she added.
"I hope Egyptian Prime Minister (Hesham) Qandil in his visit to Gaza today will be able calm the situation," Ashton said.