Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    LONDON, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Sunday called for "an urgent cease-fire and immediate halt to all violence" in Gaza.

    "The deteriorating humanitarian situation is deeply disturbing," he said in a statement, adding that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken to his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert.

    Israel launched massive air strikes against Hamas in Gaza on Saturday, killing at least 227 people, the highest death toll in a single day in the territory.

    Britain has made it clear on Saturday that Israel must abide by its humanitarian obligations and Britain "supports the prompt and sufficient delivery of food, fuel and medicine into the Gaza Strip."

    Britain has also agreed that everything should be done to protect the political space for regional leaders committed to peaceful negotiations.

    Miliband have discussed with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit his plans to convene a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers.

    "This is an important opportunity for Arab leaders to make clear that the interests of the Palestinian people can only be secured through a viable Palestinian state existing alongside a secure Israel. We must renew our collective effort to achieve this goal in 2009," he said.

    Also on Sunday, hundreds of people gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in London to protest against air raids on Gaza. They waved placards, banners and flags with slogans such as "End the Siege in Gaza" and "Free Palestine," according to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

    The demonstration was organized by the Stop the War Coalition and is planed to continue on Monday.