As the relentless violence entered its 16th day, neither Israel nor Islamist movement Hamas appeared willing to end hostilities, despite days of diplomatic efforts to get the rivels to agree to the cessation of hostilities. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on a visit to Tel Aviv, appealed on Tuesday for the bitter rivals to “stop fighting” and “start talking.”.
However Israel insisted it would keep up its aerial and ground assault until it smashes cross-border tunnels used by Gaza militants to attack the Jewish state, while a defiant Hamas continued to fire rockets.
Following top-level talks in Cairo, Ban went to Tel Aviv and appealed to both sides to lay down arms. “Stop fighting, start talking and take on the root causes of the conflict so that we are not at the same situation in the next six months or a year.
Meanwhile in Cairo, Kerry discussed ceasefire proposals with Egypt´s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The top US diplomat again placed the onus on Hamas to accept a ceasefire, voicing support for an Egyptian truce initiative as a “framework” to end the fighting.
Meanwhile Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in clashes at the West Bank village of Hussan, near Bethlehem, Palestinian security sources told the media as the violence spread to the PLO run West bank.
Gaza toll hits 572 on day 14 of Israeli operation
