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Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City have flattened three buildings and killed at least 42 people, medics say, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signals the fourth war between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza will rage on despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire.

In a televised address, Netanyahu said on Sunday evening (Monday morning AEST) the attacks were continuing at "full-force" and would "take time."

Israel "wants to levy a heavy price" from Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, he said, flanked by Defence Minister and political rival, Benny Gantz, in a show of unity.

Sunday's Israeli air assault was the deadliest single attack since heavy fighting broke out between Israel and Hamas nearly a week ago, marking the worst fighting here the devastating 2014 war in Gaza.

READ MORE: Shouts, a hurried evacuation, and then the bombs came

The airstrikes hit a busy downtown street of residential buildings and storefronts over the course of five minutes just after midnight, destroying two adjacent buildings and one about 50 metres down the road.

At one point, a rescuer shouted, "Can you hear me?" into a hole in the rubble. "Are you OK?"

Minutes later, first responders pulled a survivor out and carried him off on an orange stretcher.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 16 women and 10 children were among those killed, with more than 50 people wounded, and rescue efforts are still underway.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it destroyed the home of Gaza's top Hamas leader, Yahiyeh Sinwar, in a separate strike in the southern town of Khan Younis.

It was the third such attack in the last two days on the homes of senior Hamas leaders, who have gone underground.

Israel appears to have stepped up strikes in recent days to inflict as much damage as possible on Hamas as international mediators work to end the fighting.

But targeting the group's leaders could hinder those efforts. A US diplomat is in the region to try to de-escalate tensions, and the UN Security Council is set to meet on Sunday.

READ MORE: Maldives was a Bollywood bolthole during India's second wave. Now wealthy Indians are shut out

In its airstrikes, Israel has levelled a number of Gaza City's tallest office and residential buildings, alleging they contain Hamas military infrastructure. Among them was the building housing The Associated Press office and those of other media outlets.

The latest outbreak of violence began in East Jerusalem last month, when Palestinian protests and clashes with police broke out in response to Israeli police tactics during Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers.

A focal point of clashes was the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a frequent flashpoint that is located on a hilltop compound that is revered by both Muslims and Jews.

Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem late on Monday (early Tuesday AEST), triggering the Israeli assault on impoverished Gaza, which is home to more than 2 million Palestinians and has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

The turmoil has also spilled over elsewhere, fueling protests in the occupied West Bank and stoking violence within Israel between its Jewish and Arab citizens, with clashes and vigilante attacks on people and property. The violence also sparked pro-Palestinian protests in cities across Europe and the United States, with French police firing tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators in Paris.

READ MORE: What led to the recent Israel-Gaza violence?

At least 188 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including 55 children and 33 women, with 1230 people wounded. Eight people in Israel have been killed, including a 5-year-old boy and a soldier.

Speaking alongside Netanyahu on Sunday, Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi, said Hamas did not anticipate Israel's overwhelming response to its rocket fire.

"Hamas made a serious and grave mistake and didn't read us properly," he said.

The turmoil has also spilled over elsewhere, fueling protests in the occupied West Bank and stoking violence within Israel between its Jewish and Arab citizens, with clashes and vigilante attacks on people and property.

The violence also sparked pro-Palestinian protests in cities across Europe and the United States, with French police firing tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators in Paris.

The Israeli military said on Sunday it struck Sinwar's home and that of his brother Muhammad, another senior Hamas member.

On Saturday it destroyed the home of Khalil al-Hayeh, a senior figure in Hamas' political branch.

Hamas' upper echelon has gone into hiding in Gaza, and it is unlikely any were at home at the time of the strikes.

Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, divides his time between Turkey and Qatar, both of which provide political support to the group.

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have acknowledged 20 fighters killed since the fighting broke out Monday.

Israel says the real number is far higher and has released the names and photos of two dozen alleged operatives it says were "eliminated."

An Egyptian diplomat said Israel's targeting of Hamas political leaders would complicate ceasefire efforts.

The diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, said Cairo was working to broker an end to the fighting, as were other international actors.

The Egyptian diplomat said the destruction of Hamas' rocket capabilities would require a ground invasion that would "inflame the whole region."

Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago, had threatened to "suspend" cooperation in various fields, the official said, without elaborating.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has affirmed its support for Israel while working to de-escalate the crisis.

American diplomat Hady Amr met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who thanked the US for its support. Gantz said Israel "takes every precaution to strike at military targets only and avoid harming civilians, while its civilians are the targets of indiscriminate attack."

Hamas and other militant groups have fired some 2900 rockets into Israel. The military said 450 of the rockets had fallen short or misfired, while Israeli air defences intercepted 1150.

The interception rate appeared to have significantly dropped since the start of the conflict, when Israel said 90 per cent were intercepted. The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel has meanwhile carried out hundreds of airstrikes across Gaza.

On Saturday, Israel bombed the 12-storey al-Jalaa Building, where the office of The Associated Press was located.

The building also housed the TV network Al Jazeera and other media outlets, along with several floors of apartments.

READ MORE: Israel strike in Gaza destroys building housing Associated Press, AlJazeera and other media outlets

"The campaign will continue as long as it is required," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. He alleged Hamas military intelligence was operating inside the building.

Israel routinely cites a Hamas presence as a reason for targeting certain locations in airstrikes, including residential buildings. The military also has accused the group of using journalists as human shields, but provided no evidence to back up the claims.

The AP has operated from the building for 15 years, including through three previous wars between Israel and Hamas. During those conflicts as well as the current one, the news agency's cameras, operating from its top floor office and roof terrace, offered 24-hour live shots as militants' rockets arched toward Israel and Israeli airstrikes hammered the city and its surroundings.

"We have had no indication Hamas was in the building or active in the building," AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said in a statement.

"This is something we actively check to the best of our ability. We would never knowingly put our journalists at risk."

In the afternoon, the military called the building's owner and warned a strike would come within an hour.

AP staffers and other occupants evacuated safely. Soon after, three missiles hit the building and destroyed it, bringing it crashing down in a giant cloud of dust.

"The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today," Pruitt said. "We are shocked and horrified."

Masks are no longer needed on public transport in Greater Sydney after another day without any cases of COVID-19 detected in the community.

There were no more local coronavirus cases on Sunday linked to a Woollahra couple who were diagnosed with the virus last week.

Genomic sequencing traced the Woollahra man and his wife's infection to a US traveller who spent time in hotel quarantine. However, it is still not known how the virus was passed on to the couple.

READ MORE: Sub zero temperatures and snow sweep south east of nation

https://twitter.com/GladysB/status/1393733303409143810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday the restrictions introduced in response to the two new cases would be eased from 12.01am on Monday.

This means limits will be removed on the number of guests allowed to visit private households.

Drinking standing up in pubs, singing indoors and dancing at clubs will also be allowed.

Three people in hotel quarantine have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in NSW in the latest daily figures recorded up to 8pm Saturday night.

The state has topped 900,000 vaccinations in total, with 4285 given out at the new Sydney mass vaccination hub at Olympic Park in the 24 hours leading up to Ms Berejiklian's announcement.

"The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 919,016, with 280,135 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 638,881 administered by Commonwealth Government providers including GPs," NSW Health said in a statement.

READ MORE: Woman charged after driving the wrong way along Sydney's M5 motorway

A man has been charged with attempted murder and domestic violence offences after allegedly setting a Brisbane house on fire with two women inside.

The women escaped unharmed after flames engulfed the Queenslander home in Wooloowin, about six kilometres north of the CBD, about 6.15am on Sunday.

Investigators believe the blaze was started with accelerant in the garage, where the car exploded.

READ MORE: Reduction in vaccine doses received by Queensland government 'due to GP rollout'

Neighbours told 9News they heard a woman screaming loudly just before midnight, when police were first called to the scene.

"It was given a code two response due to the urgency of the situation," Inspector Sean Cryer said.

"We had the first response crew on-scene within five minutes. Within two minutes of arriving we had a male person in custody."

Police alleged the man was released from the city watchhouse on strict bail conditions but breached them by returning to the home soon after.

Police said the 34-year-old man voluntarily attended the Hendra police station about 11.30am and was charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson.

Police also charged the man with domestic-violence-related offences of assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and wilful damage relating to early incidents at the same address.

He was denied bail to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit their website. In an emergency, call 000.

Twenty Indonesian fishermen have been plucked from a sinking boat in a dramatic open ocean rescue hundreds of kilometres from the Western Australian coast.

After days stuck at sea, a Japanese fishing boat finally made it to the vessel on Saturday, before Australian rescuers took over.

Australian authorities said everyone on the Indonesian vessel was saved, but one man still needed urgent hospital care.

READ MORE: 'Not good enough': Schoolgirl's devastated parents demand hospital reform

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which co-ordinated the rescue, hailed the Japanese crew members' efforts and praised the "successful saving of 20 lives at sea".

Indonesian authorities first notified AMSA of the distressed vessel about 670 nautical miles west of Perth on Thursday. 

Planes from both AMSA and the Royal Australian Air Force were used to keep an eye on the sinking vessel and drop essential supplies and lifeboats until the Japanese ship could arrive on Saturday morning.

They were moved to HMAS Anzac that afternoon to begin the long trip back towards Australia.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the man needing urgent care would be flown by helicopter to a Perth hospital as soon as the Navy ship was close enough.

It would then turn around to take the rest of the fishermen back to their home port in Bali.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority Executive Director Response, Mark Morrow, said the successful rescue mission was a relief to all those involved. 

READ MORE: ADF responds to distress call from Indonesian vessel off West Australian coast

"Yesterday, Japanese fishing vessel FUKUSEKI MARU 15 reached the Indonesian fishermen whose boat was sinking and was able to render assistance to those on board," Mr Morrow said. 

"Their quick response was instrumental to the success of this time-sensitive mission. 

"HMAS Anzac was then able to arrive with medical and interpreter support for the rescued fishermen. 

"The successful saving of 20 lives at sea is an incredible achievement of which all responding authorities should be proud. We appreciate the assistance of the Australian Defence Force and FV FUKUSEKI MARU 15 in this search and rescue mission."

Mr Dutton said the HMAS Anzac was just hours away from docking in Perth, with family members waiting to greet them at the wharf, when the vessel was sent on its new mission.

"I also want to acknowledge the patience and goodwill of the families of Anzac's crew, who are now waiting longer to see their loved ones following a long deployment," he said, in a statement,

"We will have your sailors back with you as soon as possible. 

"Their efforts in bad weather and high sea state should make all Australians proud. They helped save 20 lives."

Qantas says it is investigating the accuracy of COVID-19 tests conducted by an Indian pathology company, after it was reported that dozens of people were unable to board their repatriation flight back to Australia due to a false-positive result.

On Saturday, nearly half of the 150 passengers due to touch down in Darwin from New Delhi were told at the eleventh hour that they would not be allowed to board the flight, due to either having tested positive to coronavirus or being a close contact to somebody who had.

There were 42 people who returned a positive result and more than 30 people who were identified as a close contact.

READ MORE: Masks no longer mandatory on public transport from tonight in Sydney

The ABC reports that since then, several of those would-be passengers had sought another test after experiencing no symptoms.

The subsequent testing reportedly returned negative results.

A spokeswoman for Qantas told 9News that the company was investigating the accuracy of the tests, and whether the pathology company assigned to conduct them had outsourced work.

READ MORE: Man arrested after woman found dead in South Yarra unit block

"I can confirm that is something that we're reviewing," the spokeswoman said.

"We have reiterated to our diagnostic agency that they must ensure that any laboratory they use has all current and appropriate accreditations.

"We continue to work with DFAT to ensure the process is working as it should."

The spokeswoman added that "all the protocols put in place were designed to minimise the risk of importing the virus" and maximise the safety of everyone on board.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison weighed in on the topic on Sunday afternoon, saying that he doesn't think Australians are being "unfairly blocked".

"We will work with Qantas who run the testing program for people getting on planes," he said.

"But the testing has got to be up to standard.

READ MORE: Shouts, a hurried evacuation, and then the bombs came

"It's a very difficult environment to operate in, where India is right now. We'll work with Qantas, they're conducting that testing regime… and they'll get every support from us. But it's a difficult environment at the moment.

"When it comes to protecting Australians health and safety here, then we're going to be cautious, I know what side of the line we need to be cautious on."

Those who missed their original flight from India earlier in the week are believed to now be in a 'high-priority' group and will soon be flown back to Australia, however, it is unclear if they will be on board the next scheduled repatriation flight on May 23.

The antics of the so-called “unruly tourists” are set to grace the stage through the New Zealand Opera (NZO).It is aiming to portray the group’s infamous campaign, as it reportedly stole, littered, and verbally abused its way through…