Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault

    GAZA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Ministry of the Hamas-led government warned on Monday against a U.S. veto that might be used on the UN Security Council to block an Arab draft resolution condemning Israel's military operation in Gaza Strip.

    The Hamas-run ministry said in a statement that the veto, if used, "would help protecting the Israeli dangerous crimes against the Palestinian people and seriously threatening international security and stabilization".

    The ministry affirmed that the Israeli military escalation and the threats to expand "Summer Rains" would not contribute in finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis of the captive Israeli soldier held by Palestinian resistance factions two weeks ago.

    It called on the international community to find suitable mechanism to stop the Israeli aggression and urged the United Nations and its Security Council to try criminals who commit crimes against the Palestinian people.

    So far, more than 40 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the ongoing Israeli offensive that was kicked off on June 28.

    The ministry under senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar, meanwhile, asked Switzerland to call for a meeting for countries that signed on Fourth Geneva Convention to secure the protection of Palestinian civilians. Enditem