The U.N. Security Council has adopted a presidential statement supporting an "immediate and unconditional" humanitarian cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The measure presented early Monday urges both sides in the conflict to take steps to achieve "a durable and fully respected cease-fire." It also expresses the need for immediate humanitarian aid to the people in the Gaza Strip.
The Council's action comes after several cease-fire agreements failed to hold since the conflict escalated nearly three weeks ago.
Palestinian Ambassador to the U.N. Riyad Mansour said he hopes the statement leads to a long cease-fire, but criticized the Security Council for not taking the stronger action of adopting a resolution against what he called Israel's "aggression."
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Ron Prosor said Hamas has fired 2,500 rockets at Israel, and reiterated that if Israel were not facing rocket attacks, it would not need to carry out its own strikes.
He said the Security Council statement was lacking in the specific mention of Hamas, militant rocket fire or Israel's right to defend itself.
Officials including U.S. President Barack Obama have continued to try to find a lasting halt to the fighting.