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Gaza crisis: UN calls for immediate ceasefire Gaza crisis: UN calls for immediate ceasefire
(about 1 hour later)
The UN Security Council has called for an "immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.The UN Security Council has called for an "immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.
An emergency session backed a statement calling for a truce over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr "and beyond".An emergency session backed a statement calling for a truce over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr "and beyond".
On Sunday Israel and Palestinian militants continued their offensives despite a 24-hour ceasefire announced by Hamas. Both the Palestinian and Israeli envoys to the UN criticised the statement, for different reasons.
More than 1,030 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 43 Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians have been killed. Brief truces offered by both Israel and Hamas punctuated the weekend, but Israeli military operations and militant rocket fire have continued.
A Thai national in Israel has also died. The Gaza health ministry on Sunday revised the number of dead down by 30 after some relatives found missing family members. More than 1,030 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 43 Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians have been killed. A Thai national in Israel has also died.
The Gaza health ministry on Sunday revised the number of Palestinian dead down by 30 after some relatives found missing family members.
Israel's military reported a new rocket attack on Monday morning, saying it had hit an open area in southern Israel.
There was a lull in the fighting in the Gaza Strip overnight, the BBC's Martin Patience reports from Gaza City, and most Gazans would have welcomed the brief respite three weeks into the conflict.
But with so many deaths and so much destruction, there is little to celebrate at Eid in Gaza, our correspondent says.
'Durable' truce
The UN Security Council endorsed a statement from Rwanda, the current president of the council, calling for a "durable" truce based on an Egyptian initiative - under which a pause in hostilities would lead to substantive talks on the future of Gaza, including the opening of Gaza's border crossings.The UN Security Council endorsed a statement from Rwanda, the current president of the council, calling for a "durable" truce based on an Egyptian initiative - under which a pause in hostilities would lead to substantive talks on the future of Gaza, including the opening of Gaza's border crossings.
The statement also emphasised that "civilian and humanitarian facilities, including those of the UN, must be respected and protected".The statement also emphasised that "civilian and humanitarian facilities, including those of the UN, must be respected and protected".
It further stressed the need for "immediate provision of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip".It further stressed the need for "immediate provision of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip".
The Palestinian representative at the UN, Riyad Mansour, said the statement did not go far enough, saying a formal resolution was needed demanding that Israel withdraw its forces from Gaza. The Palestinian representative at the UN, Riyad Mansour, said the statement did not go far enough and that a formal resolution was needed demanding that Israel withdraw its forces from Gaza.
On Sunday Israel rejected a truce announced by Hamas, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying: "Israel will do what it must do to defend its people." "They should have adopted a resolution a long time ago to condemn this aggression and to call for this aggression to be stopped immediately," he said.
Hamas fired more rockets into Israel, accusing it of failing to abide by the ceasefire. Speaking for Israel, Ron Prosor accused the Security Council statement of bias.
President Barack Obama also called for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in a phone call to Mr Netanyahu on Sunday. "Miraculously it doesn't mention Hamas," the Israeli envoy said. "It doesn't mention the firing of rockets. Those things are lacking in this statement."
He added that a long-term solution would have to allow "Palestinians in Gaza to lead normal lives" and "must ensure the disarmament of terrorist groups and the demilitarisation of Gaza". Pressure on Obama
US President Barack Obama called for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in a phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.
Weekend ceasefires timeline
A long-term solution, he added, would have to allow "Palestinians in Gaza to lead normal lives" and "must ensure the disarmament of terrorist groups and the demilitarisation of Gaza".
Mr Obama may have felt compelled to make the call after some embarrassment to his Secretary of State, John Kerry, in Israel, the BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports from Washington.Mr Obama may have felt compelled to make the call after some embarrassment to his Secretary of State, John Kerry, in Israel, the BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports from Washington.
Mr Kerry's ceasefire plan was rejected, and his character was attacked in sections of the Israeli media.Mr Kerry's ceasefire plan was rejected, and his character was attacked in sections of the Israeli media.
Mr Obama may also feel that after a weekend where brief ceasefires helped expose the full extent of the destruction in parts of Gaza, he had to be seen to be condemning it, our correspondent adds.Mr Obama may also feel that after a weekend where brief ceasefires helped expose the full extent of the destruction in parts of Gaza, he had to be seen to be condemning it, our correspondent adds.
A 12-hour pause on Saturday enabled Gaza residents to gather supplies and retrieve bodies buried under the rubble. Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared objective of stopping Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza, firing rockets from Gaza into Israel.
Israel later accepted a UN-requested 24-hour ceasefire until the end of Sunday, although it said ground forces would continue to destroy tunnels used by Hamas. On 18 July, it had extended operations with a ground offensive, saying it was necessary to destroy tunnels dug by militants to infiltrate Israel.
However, the Israeli military announced on Sunday morning it had decided to resume its air, ground and naval raids on Gaza in response to "incessant rocket fire" from Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since seizing power there in 2007.
Shortly after Israeli raids resumed, Hamas said it had decided to agree to a humanitarian truce, starting at 14:00 local time (11:00 GMT).
Weekend ceasefires timeline
The pause was "as a preparation for the end of [the Islamic holy month of] Ramadan and in response to the UN mediation and also regarding our people's living circumstances".
But Israel resumed air strikes with Mr Netanyahu telling CNN: "Hamas doesn't even accept its own ceasefire. It's continuing to fire at us as we speak".
Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared objective of stopping Hamas firing rockets from Gaza into Israel.
On 18 July, it extended operations with a ground offensive, saying it was necessary to destroy tunnels dug by militants to infiltrate Israel.
Also on Sunday, the Israeli army admitted it fired a mortar round into the courtyard of a UN shelter in Gaza on Thursday in a clash with "militants", but denied it was responsible for the deaths of at least 15 people.Also on Sunday, the Israeli army admitted it fired a mortar round into the courtyard of a UN shelter in Gaza on Thursday in a clash with "militants", but denied it was responsible for the deaths of at least 15 people.
Despite rising concern about military casualties, support in Israel for the offensive remains widespread, the BBC's Bethany Bell reports from Jerusalem, as people see the country as being under attack.Despite rising concern about military casualties, support in Israel for the offensive remains widespread, the BBC's Bethany Bell reports from Jerusalem, as people see the country as being under attack.
Are you in Israel or Gaza? How are you affected by the situation? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Israel Gaza'.Are you in Israel or Gaza? How are you affected by the situation? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Israel Gaza'.