Gaza: Julie Bishop backs calls for investigation into Israel's school attacks

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday condemned the attacks, describing them as "shocking", and said she was "deeply troubled by the suffering being endured by the Palestinian population in Gaza".

But Ms Bishop said the Australian government still supported Israel's right to defend itself from attacks from Hamas and other militants as "no country should have to tolerate arbitrary and indiscriminate attacks upon its civilian population by rocket fire and infiltration through tunnels".

It comes a day after the United States declared the shelling of a UN school sheltering 3000 refugees to be a disgraceful act, in a rare criticism of Israel's prosecution of the war in Gaza.

United Nation's Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, has described the shelling as a "moral outrage and a criminal act" and has demanded an investigation into the "gross violation of international humanitarian law".

At least 10 Palestinians were killed in the attack.

In a statement, Ms Bishop said Hamas had "failed to embrace a series of opportunities to end the conflict" most recently through its "flagrant violation" of a humanitarian ceasefire negotiated for 1 August.

"However, in exercising its right to self-defence, Israel must take all necessary steps to prevent civilian casualties," Ms Bishop said.

"I am deeply troubled by the suffering being endured by the Palestinian population in Gaza, where many hundreds of innocent people have been killed, including women and children."

The government welcomed the announcement of a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire, to commence later on Tuesday.

"Israel and Hamas must fully commit to and implement this humanitarian pause," Ms Bishop said.

"Then the priority must be to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement that brings an end to the killing and recrimination."All efforts must be directed at these objectives."

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