Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi has urged Arabs to volunteer to fight alongside Palestinians against Israel in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

"I appeal to Arabs to volunteer to fight (against Israel) with the Palestinians," the veteran leader said in brief comments carried by the official Jana news agency on Friday.

Qaddafi has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel's two-week-old offensive against the Gaza Strip, previously accusing fellow Arab leaders of adopting a "cowardly" response.

Emergency services said 772 people have now been killed in Gaza since Israel launched "Operation Cast Lead" on December 27 in a bid to halt rocket attacks.

Eleven Israeli soldiers and three civilians have also been killed in combat in Gaza and in rocket attacks inside Israel over the same time.

SG/HAR