GAZA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian cabinet led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) started an emergency meeting on Sunday afternoon over escalated Israeli military operations on the Gaza Strip.

    Hamas government spokesman Ghazi Hammad told reporters that the meeting was held at the request of Prime Minister and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haneya, adding that the ongoing intensive Israeli military air and ground attacks were the major topic.

    Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud al-Zahar and Minister of Interior and Civil Affairs Sa'ed Siam and Minister of Information Youssef Rezqa attended the meeting held at the headquarters of Haneya in Gaza.

    Hammad said that a final official statement would be issued after the meeting.

The emergency meeting convened after about 15 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since Friday night in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh announced that President Mahmoud Abbas had decided to make an appeal to the United Nations Security Council against Israel's stepped up military actions.

    But Israel said that the military moves were staged in response to Palestinian militant rocket attacks.

Hamas, which is bent on destruction of the Jewish state, formally took the reins of the Palestinian government on March 29.

Israel has vowed that it will not deal with a Hamas-led government unless the radical group meets the three conditions of recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and honoring previous peace deals. Enditem