Fighting rages on in Gaza
July 21, 2014
Some of the latest deaths are reported to have come after Israeli shells hit a hospital in the central Gaza Strip town of Deir el-Ballah. A spokesman for Gaza's health ministry said at least four people had been killed and dozens of others wounded after several shells fired by Israeli tanks hit the Al-Aqsa clinic on Monday. Israeli officials said they were looking into the report.
This came as diplomatic pressure was building on both Israel and the Islamist militant group Hamas to end the violence.
Following a hastily called meeting in New York on Sunday night, the United Nations Security Council issued a statement in which it expressed "serious concern" about the death toll from the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has now climbed above 500. It also called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities."
"The members of the Securitry Council call for respect of international humanitarian law including protection of civilians," said Rwandan Ambassador to the UN, Eugene-Richard Gasana, who holds the Council's rotating presidency.
Diplomatic efforts
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, has arrived in Cairo to lend his support to Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants. US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in the Egyptian capital several hours later.
A previous ceasefire brokered by Egypt last week quickly unraveled, with Hamas complaining that it was not involved in the negotiations leading up to it.
It is also not clear how much of an appetite there is on either side for a durable ceasefire at this point. Israel accused Palestinian militants of quickly breaking a two-hour humanitarian ceasefire on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pledged to press on with the offensive to destroy tunnels used by the militants.
Speaking on Sunday, Netanyahu said there was "very strong" international support for Israel's almost two-week old offensive.
Communications Minister Gilad Erdan ruled out a quick end to the operation, saying this was "not the moment for talk of a ceasefire."
pfd/mg (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)