The United Nations Security Council ended its emergency session on the situation in Gaza early Sunday, calling for an immediate end to violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
The five-hour session was called at the request of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas after Israeli forces killed dozens of Palestinians, including many women and children in the Gaza Strip.
Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the council's rotating presidency, read a "summary" of the discussions among representatives of the 15 member states.
"Members of the Security Council are deeply concerned about the loss of civilian lives in southern Israel and Gaza and condemn the escalation of violence that has taken place," Churkin said.
During the session, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called foran immediate end to hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians, condemning Palestinian rocket attacks and Israel's "disproportionate and excessive use of force."
Earlier, Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in the Palestinian Health Ministry, told reporters that the Israeli army on Saturday killed 68 Palestinians and wounded 200 others, "the highest ever (daily) death and casualties toll inthe Gaza Strip" since fighting erupted in 2000
Churkin said members of the Security Council "underscore the need for all parties to immediately cease all acts of violence," stressing that "these acts must not be allowed to deter the political process...aimed at establishing two states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security."
Churkin made no mention of a draft Security Council resolution circulated by Libya that would strongly condemn the killing of innocent civilians, including children.
The emergency session started and ended with closed-door consultations, with an open debate in between.
During the open debate, Permanent Observer of Palestine Riyad Mansour urged the Security Council to condemn Israel's military actions against innocent civilians and to work for an immediate ceasefire on the occupied territory.
Daniel Carmon, Israel's representative to the United Nations, defended the Israeli military actions as a response to rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.
"The government of Israel should... not apologize for protecting its citizens," he said.
Source:Xinhua
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