CAIRO – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, saying an Israeli ground operation in the Palestinian enclave would be a “dangerous escalation” that must be avoided. Speaking at a news conference in Cairo after talks with Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Araby, Ban said he supported Egyptian-led efforts to bring an end to the fighting between Israel and Palestinian groups in the Hamas-run territory. “Immediate steps are needed by all to avoid a further escalation, including a ground operation which will only result in further tragedy,” he said. “My message is clear: all sides must halt fire immediately. Further escalating the situation will put the entire region at risk,” said Ban. “I will urge the Israeli leadership to end the violence,” he said. “Further escalating the situation will put the entire region at risk,” he added. “I'm visiting the region because of the alarming situation in Gaza,” the UN secretary general said. “I'm here to appeal personally for an end to the violence.” He and Arabi, he said, “share a deep concern about the appalling rising cost in human lives” in Gaza. “Once again families and children are dying as a result of senseless violence,” said Ban, who arrived in Cairo Monday. Egyptian mediators have been hosting marathon indirect talks between a Hamas team led by Khaled Meshaal and an Israeli envoy, which an Egyptian official said had produced “encouraging signs” on ending the crisis. International efforts were mounting to bring the crisis to a halt. Amid intensifying diplomacy, senior Israeli ministers decided overnight to hold off from launching an invasion of Gaza to give the truce efforts a chance, a senior Israeli official said. “A decision was taken that for the time being there is a temporary hold on the ground incursion to give diplomacy a chance to succeed,” he said after a late-night session of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's key ministers, the Forum of Nine. But the Israeli aerial and naval bombardment of the Palestinian territory continues as Hamas militants launched rockets into Israel. – Agencies
