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UN's Ban Calls For Immediate Gaza Truce

November 20, 2012

by RFE/RL

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza to end a week of deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Ban was speaking on November 20 in Cairo after talks on the crisis with Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby.

"I am here to appeal personally for an end to the violence and to offer my help in [the] ongoing approach to achieve a cease-fire," Ban said.

Ban also warned that an Israeli ground operation would mark a dangerous escalation of the conflict, which has killed about 115 Palestinians, many of them civilians, as well as three Israelis since November 14.

Also on November 20, Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi voiced confidence that what he described as Israel's "aggression" against Gaza would end within hours.

Egypt is trying to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls Gaza.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to land in Israel later on November 20 in a bid to broker a cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Elaraby crossed into Gaza to show solidarity with Hamas.

Amid the truce efforts, Israel's military said it hit more than 100 targets in Gaza on November 19-20.

Human rights groups said Israeli air strikes on inhabited houses in Gaza have increased in the past two days. The deadliest killed nine members of one family on November 18.

Palestinian militants have also been showering Israel with rockets, with one missile landing some 15 kilometers from Jerusalem on November 20.

Israel says it favors a negotiated truce but is prepared for wider military action if no acceptable agreement is reached.

Israeli military jets reportedly dropped leaflets across Gaza City on November 20 urging people to evacuate their homes "immediately" to avoid casualties in the event of an Israeli ground operation.

Israel withdrew settlers and armed forces from Gaza in 2005 but has maintained a blockade of the tiny enclave.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/efforts-to-reach-gaza-truce-continue/24775771.html

Copyright (c) 2012. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.