Israel-Hamas conflict | Israel faces Gaza ceasefire calls, U.S. vows more arms

Global pressure mounts for ceasefire in Palestinian Territories as US vows to continue arming Israel.

Israel faced another round of global pressure on December 19 for a ceasefire in Gaza with a new U.N. vote and fresh Western diplomatic efforts, although the United States vowed to continue arming its ally.

The UN Security Council was set to convene on December 19 to weigh a call for a ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory, after a previous bid was vetoed by the United States.

U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron was also due to meet French and Italian leaders to push for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the conflict, his office said.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on October 7, killing around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducting 250, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israel’s military response has killed more than 19,400 people, mostly women and children.

The ministry said an Israeli strike killed at least 20 people on Tuesday in the southern city of Rafah, near the border with Egypt.

On a visit to Israel, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed Monday to keep arming its ally, which Washington has already provided with billions of dollars in military aid.