Gaza: Security Council Calls Emergency Meeting

Security Council Calls Emergency Meeting As Israeli Forces Enter Gaza
New York, Jan 3 2009 5:10PM

The Security Council will hold an emergency meeting this evening, hours after Israel launched a ground invasion into Gaza.

On the eighth day of Israeli bombing raids on Gaza, Israeli troops have entered the area, according to media reports.

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza against Israeli civilians as the reason for its military offensive and closing crossings into Gaza for much of the previous two months.

During another emergency Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9560.doc.htm">meeting earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3641">said the impact of the violence has been "nothing short of terrifying" for the 1.5 million residents of Gaza, and stressed the need for an urgent halt to the violence and for crucial humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

"I urge all members of the int
ernational community, in particular those in the region, to exert what influence they have on the parties to end this violence now," Mr. Ban told the meeting, which was convened at the request of Libya and Egypt on behalf of the Arab Group.

"I welcome the efforts underway, including by Arab and European leaders but I must repeat: not enough has been done, and more is urgently required," he said, stressing the urgent need for an end to the fighting.

ENDS

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