PARIS, July 27 (KUNA) -- France on Sunday called for an immediate resumption of the humanitarian truce that was called for 12 hours in Gaza on Saturday but was not continued beyond the deadline Sunday.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that the call by France had the support of the international community and should be heard.
"No matter what the reasons given, nothing can justify the pursuit of bloody clashes and their intolerable cortege of destruction and deaths," he said.
On Saturday in Paris, Fabius hosted a meeting of Foreign Ministers from the US, Turkey, Qatar, Britain, Germany and Italy - in addition to Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Policy Chief - and all called for a lasting truce and to address the core problems.
These include Israeli security and Palestinian free access to Gaza and the socio-economic development of the Palestinian Territory where more than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in just under three weeks. The bulk of those killed have been civilians, with many women and children among the victims.
Hamas militants have killed two Israeli civilians and one foreign worker in Israel with rocket fire, in addition to killing over 30 Israeli soldiers. (End) jk.tg