Egypt 's new president, Mohammed Morsi, has said Israel’s attacks on Gaza were “unacceptable” in a national address on Egyptian television on Thursday.

"The Israelis must realise that this aggression is unacceptable and would only lead to instability in the region and would negatively and greatly impact the security of the region," he said.

“The Egyptian people, the Egyptian leadership, the Egyptian government and all of Egypt is standing with all its resources to stop this assault, to prevent the killing and bloodshed of the Palestinians.”

Mr Morsi has recalled the Egyptian ambassador from Israel and has summoned the Israeli ambassador in Egypt, deploying diplomatic moves without going as far as to break Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. His response, as a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a movement to which Hamas is aligned, is being closely monitored in Israel and the US.

President Morsi spoke to US President Obama earlier that day, discussing "ways to reach calm and end the aggression,” the Egyptian state news agency, MENA, reported.