United Nations, August 1 (RHC)-- The United Nations Security Council has called for an immediate end to the merciless killing of people in the besieged Gaza Strip by the Israeli regime.

"Council members called for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire," said Rwandan Deputy UN Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe in a press statement read out after a Security Council session on Thursday. Rwanda is the current president of the UN Security Council.

The international body also expressed "grave disappointment" that its previous calls for a truce have gone unheeded. In a presidential statement on Monday, the Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and expressed "grave concern" over the rising civilian deaths.

The UN Security Council has so far failed to condemn Tel Aviv for killing hundreds of innocent civilians in its deadly aggression on the besieged territory.

Earlier on Thursday, Valerie Amos, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that 24 days of conflict in Gaza has exacerbated the situation in the Palestinian territory. Amos said: "Some 440,000 people have been displaced, almost 24 percent of the population, and over 240,000 are housed in UN-run facilities while others seek refuge wherever they can, in government buildings or hospital grounds."