The UN Security Council on Monday expressed “serious concern at the escalation of violence in Gaza,” during an emergency meeting on the ongoing crisis there. “Members of the Security Council called for respect of international law, including protection of civilians, and improvement of the humanitarian situation through humanitarian pauses,” the President of the Council, Amb. Eugene-Richard Gasana, of Rwanda said. Rwanda holds the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July. Amb. Gasana said the members also unanimously expressed concern about the growing number of casualties, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement. The council also welcomed the efforts of Egypt to broker a ceasefire, as well as those of the Secretary-General. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has sent his Secretary of State John Kerry, to Cairo to meet Egyptian and other officials on the volatile situation in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll from the two-week conflict has now passed 500, the majority of them civilians, Gaza’s health ministry told the media. Israel says it has killed more than 170 militants since Thursday night, when it launched the ground offensive phase of its two-week old operation to end rocket fire from Gaza. Israel says 20 Israelis – 18 of them soldiers – have died. The 2012 ceasefire agreement In November 2012, Israel and the Palestinians bowed to international pressure and agreed to end eight days of fighting in the Gaza Strip that had then reportedly claimed more than 160 lives. Under the truce, Israel agreed to “stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air including incursions and targeting of civilians.” In exchange, all Palestinian factions were to stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and all attacks along the border.
