Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet that Israel was nearing the goals of its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, but "further patience" was needed, leading information agencies reported Sunday.

Israeli aircraft attacked at least 60 targets throughout Gaza overnight, including a mosque in the southern Gaza city of Rafa allegedly used to store Hamas weapons and to train militants.

There are conflicting reports about the Gaza death toll, but it is estimated, through reports of Palestinian medical sources, that at least 828 have been killed since the beginning of the conflict.

According to the same Palestinian sources, the dead included 235 children, 92 women, 62 elderly people, four local journalists and 12 medics. Another 3,340 people have been wounded, they added.

The latest deaths came as Israeli soldiers moved to Gaza City's center from the north and south, Palestinian sources said.

The home of Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas's military wing, was destroyed in an air strike at Shujaia, a suburb of densely-populated Gaza City, according to the Israeli military.

The Israeli army meanwhile denied deploying white phosphorus bombs in Gaza, after Palestinian medics said they had treated patients for burns caused by the toxic substance.

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