UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The diplomatic
group in search of peace in the Middle East, or Quartet, Tuesday held a meeting
on the situation in Gaza and southern Israel, and called for "an immediate
cease-fire that would be fully respected," a conference readout said here.
Smoke rises after an Israel air strike
in Gaza December 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
"They called on all parties to address the serious
humanitarian and economic needs in Gaza and to take necessary measures to ensure
the continuous provision of humanitarian supplies," it said.
Quartet groups the United Nations, the European Union
(EU), Russia and the United States.
"They agreed on the urgent need for Israelis and
Palestinians to continue on the road to peace," it said.
Participating in the teleconference were UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Javier Solana, the EU high representative
for common foreign and security policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European
commissioner for external relations, Bernard Kouchner, the French foreign
minister, and Quartet Representative Tony Blair, the statement said.
"They intend to remain in close touch," it added.
The Quartet teleconference came as Israel hit the
Gaza Strip with more air strikes on Tuesday and both Israel and Hamas rejected
any notion of cease-fire soon. As the conflict passed its third day, there seems
to be no quick end to the largest Israeli attacks on Gaza in decades.
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO)
warned on Tuesday that hundreds of wounded people in Gaza hospitals face a surge
in preventable deaths due to the lack of medical supplies, and the UN agency
called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged Israel to ensure immediate
provision of fuel and critical life-saving and trauma care supplies.
"Hundreds of wounded people, including women,
children and elderly, lie in hospitals that already lack basic supplies," WHO
said of Israel's air strikes against Hamas, in which more than 300 people were
killed and many hundreds more wounded.
Negotiations with the Israelis are under way to
guarantee the passage of urgent medical supplies, the agency said, adding that
it was also coordinating with other UN agencies, donors and nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) to ensure aid reach those most in need.
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), in a statement
issued here, voiced its deep concern over the impact of the current violence on
youngsters and urged all parties to abide by their international legal
obligation to ensure that children be protected and receive essential
humanitarian supplies and support. More than half of the population in Gaza are
children.
BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China is deeply concerned at
the current situation in Gaza,and hopes parties involved could immediately halt
the armed conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here on
Tuesday.
China is deeply concerned over the ongoing armed
conflict in Gaza, Qin said at a regular press conference. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Chief Ban Ki-moon
said on Monday that he was deeply alarmed by the current escalation of violence
in and around Gaza, and that such continued violence is "unacceptable." Full story
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States on
Tuesday reiterated its call for a "durable and sustainable" ceasefire between
Israel and Hamas militants ruling the Gaza Strip.
"The ceasefire, in order to be productive, has to be
maintained," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters. "It can't
be a ceasefire in which one side uses it to launch periodic
attacks." Full story
An Israeli soldier stands on the hood of
a military vehicle near the border with the Gaza Strip Dec. 28, 2008.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
JERUSALEM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
Tuesday denied a report that the Israeli defense establishment will recommend a
48-hour truce with Hamas.
"The report is not true, our plan is to continue the
Gaza operation," an IDF spokeswoman told Xinhua on the phone. Full story
JERUSALEM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Tuesday rejected
worldwide appeals for a truce as its air strikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip
went on for a fourth day.
The operation, dubbed Cast Lead, continued early
Tuesday, with at least 10 people killed and 40 others wounded when Israeli war
planes bombed a series of Gaza targets, according to Palestinian reports.
Full story
