UN chief shocked at Gaza destruction

January 20, 2009

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became the first senior international leader to visit Gaza in years. Voicing shock and anger at the "heartbreaking" devastation, the U.N. chief called the Israeli attack on the UN headquarters "outrageous" and demanded an inquiry to call those responsible to account. He criticised Hamas for firing rockets but said Israel used "excessive force" during its 22-day offensive, which killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. Ban, who met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert before travelling to Gaza, later visited southern Israel, to meet the communities who have suffered years of Palestinian rocket attacks.