UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday called on Palestine and Israel to take all steps possible to prevent further violence.

Annan issued the appeal in a statement, saying he is deeply concerned at the further escalation of violence in the past 24 hours in the Middle East.

He stressed that extra-judicial killings "are not consistent with international law."

The Secretary-General also reminded Israel of its obligation to take all precautions to ensure that noncombatants are not harmed.

Israel had intensified air strikes in the Gaza Strip after five Israelis were killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber in the northern Israeli town of Hadera on Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua