U.N. Chief Leaves For Middle East To Broker Gaza Ceasefire

January 13, 2009 2:56 a.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - On the eve of his departure for high-level talks in the Middle East to broker a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the U.N. chief Monday called on Israel and Hamas to stop fighting immediately.

"My goal is to step up the pace of our joint diplomatic efforts and ensure that urgent humanitarian assistance reaches those in need," he said in a news conference in New York. "It is one thing to speak to world leaders, as I have done daily in seeking to resolve this crisis. And it is another thing to be present oneself."

Ban, who leaves on Tuesday and will meet with all the main players apart from Hamas, laid out the major elements needed to ensure full implementation of last week's Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire.

He also said his message was simple, direct and to the point. "The fighting must stop," he stressed as the Israeli offensive moved towards its 18th day with the stated aim to end Hamas rocket attacks into Israel.

"To both sides, I say: Just stop, now. There has been too much civilian suffering," he added. "Too many people, Israelis and Palestinians, live in daily fear of their lives. And in Gaza, the very foundation of society is being destroyed: people's homes, civic infrastructure, public health facilities and schools."

On Thursday, he will be in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with meetings scheduled with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. He will then visit Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

He is to travel briefly to Turkey for talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then go to Beirut to meet with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri.

The U.N. chief will also visit the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura and then move on to Syria. His last scheduled stop is Kuwait, where he will attend the meeting of the Arab League.