gazas death toll reaches over 100 people! More than 100 people have died in the Gaza Strip in six days of violence, Hamas officials say, as Israeli forces continue a bombardment they say aims to stop rocket attacks into Israel. Monday's fatalities include a commander of the Islamic Jihad militant group. More than 100 rockets were fired on Israel by militants on Monday. Three Israelis have died since Wednesday. Efforts to secure a ceasefire continue, with a senior Egyptian official saying there are "encouraging signs". UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has arrived in Cairo to aid negotiating efforts. He plans to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the coming days. US President Obama spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Mursi and to Mr Netanyahu on Monday and "discussed ways to de-escalate the situation in Gaza," the White House said in a statement. Mr Obama "underscored the necessity of Hamas ending rocket fire into Israel" in his call to Mr Mursi, and "expressed regret for the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives" in both calls. Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of the Islamist movement Hamas which controls Gaza, said Mr Netanyahu had requested a ceasefire but that it was up to Israel to stop the war that, he said, it had started. "Hamas's comments about a ceasefire, alleging that Israel is begging for one, are about as accurate as its claims to have shot down an F-15 [warplane] or attacked the Knesset," Reuters news agency quoted a senior government official as saying. Mr Meshaal said that a truce was possible in Gaza - as was further escalation of the conflict. Mr Meshaal said Hamas' conditions for a truce included lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza and an end to "Israel's assassinations". Israel has also presented conditions for a ceasefire, which include no hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from rearming. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Israel as a "terrorist state", citing the "massacre of children" during its bombardments of Gaza. Once cordial relations between Turkey and Israel soured after Israeli marines stormed a Turkish aid ship in 2010 during a naval blockade of Gaza.