UN chief condemns Palestinian rocket fire at Israel

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon condemned Palestinian rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and what he described as the use of schools, hospitals and mosques for military purposes.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Ban said that both the Palestinians and Israel should stop fighting and start talking.

"My message to both Israelis and Palestinians is clear: stop fighting, start talking," he said, going on to ask Israel to exercise "maximum restraint."

Since July 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip with fierce aerial bombardments with the ostensible aim of halting rocket fire.

At least 612 Palestinians have been killed – mostly civilians – and more than 3745 others injured in Israel's ongoing offensive, now in its third week.

Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rocket at Israeli cities in response to relentless Israeli bombardments.

According to official Israeli figures, 27 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Israel sent thousands of ground troops into the Gaza Strip late Thursday.

Ban condemned Hamas for what he said was the latter's use of civilian institutions, such as hospitals and schools, to launch rocket attacks.

"I met with the leadership of Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt in recent days as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire to end the fighting," the U.N. chief said.

Israel's military operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.

In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."

By Turgut Alp Boyraz

englishnews@aa.com.tr

www.aa.com.tr/en