(VOVworld) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated his call for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pleaded for a bilateral ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Monday. (Photo: REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed)

Speaking to the media at UN headquarters in New York on Monday after coming back from the Middle East, Ban underlined “the critical importance” of ending hostilities in the Gaza Strip, and strongly urged all sides to “avoid any further escalation at this time”. He expressed his concern that leaflets are reportedly being dropped by the Israeli Defense Forces in the northern Gaza Strip Monday evening, warning tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes and evacuate to Gaza City.

In related news, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that all international efforts aiming to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip require the disarmament of Hamas movement.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff called Israel’s conflict with Hamas “a massacre”, adding that the situation in Gaza is very dangerous.