Pope Francis has used his Angelus to call on fighting to stop as Israel continues airstrikes on Palestine and Hamas fires rockets over the border.
The Holy Father told crowds in St. Peter's Square yesterday children were the main victims of conflicts around the world.
"Please stop, I ask you with all my heart.
"Dead children, injured and mutilated children," he said.
The UN's call comes on the Muslim holiday of Eid but it's understood Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the request would not meet his country's security needs.
More than 1,030 Palestinians, and 45 Israelis have been killed since the violence began three weeks ago.
A spokesman for the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he wanted both Israel and Hamas to find peace.
"As people around the world mark Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan and a time for overcoming differences, the secretary general calls on parties to build on the current calm.
"[He] calls on the parties to renew a humanitarian pause in Gaza and reiterates his demand for a durable ceasefire that could set the ground for the start of comprehensive negotiations".
Meanwhile opinion polls inside Israel still show widespread support for the offensive.
But Director of the Bible Society in Israel Victor Kalisher rejected that on Premier's News Hour.
"No one in Israel is happy to see the destruction and the suffering on Gaza.
"It's something the public are very sad about, it's not something the people are happy with." He said.
Hear more from Director of the Bible Society in Israel Victor Kalisher here: