Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al- Muallem has called for forming of an international commission to investigate into the Israeli massacre in Qana and other places in Lebanon over the past three weeks, the official al-Baath newspaper reported on Monday.

Muallem made the appeal in a meeting Sunday with heads of the Arab and foreign diplomatic missions in Damascus while briefing them on the Syrian stance over the Israeli continuing aggression on Lebanon.

He stressed the necessity to give top priority to immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Lebanon, saying that "Israeli massacres against innocent civilians in Lebanon, of which Qana carnage is the latest, are war crimes according to international humanitarian laws."

He called for intensive Arab and international efforts to put an end to Israel's aggression and hold it responsible for its subsequent catastrophic consequences.

Meanwhile, the minister reasserted Syria's condemnation of the Israeli brutal aggression, solidarity with Lebanon and full readiness to offer everything available to support Lebanon's steadfastness and relieve its suffering under the Israeli aggression.

Israel warplanes launched an air strike on the southern Lebanese village of Qana early on Sunday, killing over 50 civilians, including 22 children.

This was the bloodiest single attack since the conflict erupted on July 12 after the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah group abducted two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border raid.

About 750 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and over 50 Israelis have been killed since then.

Source: Xinhua