The UN Security Council has called for an “immediate” and “unconditional” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as the Israeli offensive has so far claimed the lives of over 1,060 Palestinians.
Rwanda, the current president of the Council, said late Sunday that the Council agreed on a statement, which will be adopted in an emergency meeting later on Monday.
The statement called on Tel Aviv and Palestinian resistance movement Hamas "to accept and fully implement the humanitarian ceasefire into the Eid period and beyond," referring to the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The statement also urged both sides "to engage in efforts to achieve a durable and fully respected cease-fire, based on the Egyptian initiative." The Egyptian proposal, presented last week, called for an immediate ceasefire, followed by the opening of border crossings, and talks in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, between the sides.
It also expressed “grave concern” over the Gaza crisis and the “loss of civilian lives and casualties,” calling for “full respect” for international humanitarian law.
So far more than 1,062 Palestinians and 43 Israeli have been killed in the Gaza war. More than 6,000 Palestinians have also been injured. Hamas puts the number of Israeli fatalities at 100. On Sunday, Israel Prime Minister dismissed a UN-brokered truce proposal endorsed by Hamas.
