Israel pounded Gaza enclave with a barrage of missiles from land and sea for a fifth day on Sunday, killing at least three children, targeting media houses and threatening to "send Gaza back to the Middle Ages".

While the first round of strikes destroyed a building housing Arab Al Quds television network, the second round of raids hit a building with offices of Sky News, al-Arabiya, and the official Hamas-run channel al-Aqsa TV.

Even as media reports said efforts for a ceasefire were on, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was ready to "significantly expand" its operation in Gaza. Israel's Interior Minister went a step ahead when he said "the goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages".

"Only then will Israel be calm for 40 years," Interior Minister Eli Yishai was quoted as saying by Haaretz newspaper.

The violence escalated after Israel killed a Hamas military commander in a raid on Wednesday.