UN calls for immediate ceasefire as Kerry heads to Cairo

The United Nations Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire between the IDF and Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Security Council held a late-night emergency meeting on the conflict last night in New York, at the request of council member Jordan.

The urgent call comes amid a mounting death toll, that has claimed the lives of over 500 Palestinians and 18 Israelis.

Yesterday, the first major ground battle in two weeks of Israel-Hamas fighting killed 65 Palestinians and 13 Israeli soldiers, while forcing thousands of Palestinian civilians to flee their neighbourhoods.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has gone to Cairo to attend talks on the growing crisis, in the hope he may be able to broker a lull. UN chief Ban Ki-moon has also headed to the region to try to revive ceasefire efforts.

The Secretary General previously spoke out about the situation, describing the Israeli assault on the densely populated Shejaiya neighbourhood of Gaza as “an atrocious action”.