(VOVworld) -  The UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table to quickly agree on a lasting truce in Gaza. In a unanimously adopted statement, the 15-member council "offered full support to the Egyptian initiative and called upon the parties to resume negotiations to urgently reach a sustainable and lasting ceasefire."
The measure fell short of a full resolution, but diplomats signaled they would be ready to move toward a stronger response if the Egyptian-led peace track hit a dead end. British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, whose country holds the council presidency, said the urgency was to respond to the fact that the talks appear to be breaking down and there has been a resumption of hostilities.

In another development, Palestinian President Abbas arrived in Qatar on Thursday to hold talks with exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. The meeting had been planned before the ceasefire ended. Earlier, Hamas asked Qatar to take part in talks in Cairo, a demand rejected by Egypt due to diplomatic tension between the two countries following the ousting of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.