Zee Media Bureau/ Neha Attre
United Nations: Concerned over the escalating crisis in Gaza, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting and called for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in the area.
The UNSC endorsed a statement from Rwanda, the current president of the council, on Twitter and expressed “grave concern” over the deteriorating situation in the area and loss of civilian lives in the ongoing violence.
#UNSC expresses grave concern regarding deterioration in situation as a result of crisis related to #Gaza & loss of civilians & casualties
— Mission of Rwanda UN (@RwandaUN) July 28, 2014
Calling for respecting humanitarian law, the UN further asked to do whatever is possible to protect the civilian population.
#UNSC calls for full respect of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilian population, #Gaza
— Mission of Rwanda UN (@RwandaUN) July 28, 2014
The emergency meeting also called for a ceasefire over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
It also said that facilities provided to the refugees, including those of UN, should be protected by the warring sides.
#UNSC: civilian & humanitarian facilities, incl. of UN, must be respected & protected & all parties to act consistently with this principle
— Mission of Rwanda UN (@RwandaUN) July 28, 2014
The reaction came after the Israel shelling of a UN school in Gaza last week in which 16 people were killed and dozens wounded.
Israel later reportedly accepted that its military had fired the shell but denied that it was an intentional act and said that the aerial footage had showed that the school compound was empty at the time of the attack.
The school area was being used to house the Palestinian refugees seeking shelter from the ongoing violence.
Over 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the last 20 days since the beginning of war while 43 Israeli soldiers and two civilians and a Thai worker were killed.