The United Nations Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Israel’s ground offensive area as an “atrocious action”, after the bloodiest day since the latest eruption of the conflict two weeks ago brought the death toll amongst Palestinians to 508.
"The members of the Security Council expressed serious concern about the growing number of casualties. The members of the Security Council called for an immediate cessation of hostilities," Rwandan UN ambassador Eugene Gasana told reporters after an emergency meeting of the 15-member council.
The meeting was convened by Jordan, who proposed a draft resolution which called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, however the Security Council did not discuss the draft.
Palestinian United Nations envoy Ambassador Riyad Mansour expressed disappointment.
"We were hoping for the Security Council to adopt a resolution to condemn the aggression against our people," he told reporters.
Israel continued its assault on the suburb of Gaza City on Monday. At least 5 Palestinians were killed as Israel rockets fell on a hospital, the BBC reports.The previous day, at least 120 Palestinians were killed in the area the previous day, a third of which are reported to be women and children.
Thirteen IDF soldiers were also killed in the fighting on Sunday, with Hamas saying they captured one soldier, a claim Israel initially denied, however IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner said the IDF could not rule out the capture.
International pressure for a truce is increasing, with US President Barack Obama also calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has flown Cairo to help broker a ceasefire, amidst the worsening crisis, while discussions between Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas were due to take place in Qatar on Monday.
The Palestinian president called the attacks on Sunday a “massacre” and said the Israeli offensive involving tanks, infantry units, missiles from the air and sea, and the use of controversial flechette shells as a “crime against humanity”.