Tel Aviv - A three-hour humanitarian lull on Friday was disturbed by a continuation of fighting in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli defence official said.

"We decided to implement the lull but the Palestinians continued to shoot. So, of course, we returned fire," said Peter Lerner from the ministry of defence.

Television footage showed heavy Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip during the time of the lull, which was scheduled to start at 1 pm (1100 GMT).

Johannesburg - South African President Kgalema Motlanthe on Friday criticized the United Nations Security Council over the crisis in the Middle East and said the world body was in need of "urgent reform" to ensure that it becomes more representative.

"The problem is that if a country has powerful friends on the Security Council, they can sometimes act with impunity," Motlanthe told the weekly Mail and Guardian newspaper.

"All you have to do is listen to the minister of foreign affairs or defence of Israel to know that you are dealing with people who believe they can cock a snook with impunity," he added.

New York - The Gaza resolution adopted Thursday by the UN Security Council "stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire leading to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza."

The resolution's main points:

"Calls for the unimpeded provisions and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment.

"Welcomes the initiatives aimed at creating and opening humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms for the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid.

Tel Aviv/Gaza  - An Israeli soldier died Thursday during fighting in the Gaza Strip, the third military death within 24 hours, an Israeli military spokesman said in Tel Aviv.

Earlier, an Israeli infantry officer, was hit and killed Thursday morning by an anti-tank rocket fired by militants, and a tank sergeant was shot to death by a sniper in the afternoon.

Thursday's casualties bring the Israel military toll since Saturday's invasion to nine dead.

Gaza/Tel Aviv  - Israel's air force continued pounding the Gaza Strip from the air Thursday, with its solders pressing on with attacks against militants on the ground.

Meanwhile, government officials who were in Cairo to discuss proposals for ending the fighting, which has lasted 13 days so far and claimed hundreds of fatalities, ended the talks without results, Egyptian foreign ministry officials said.

Gaza - A driver bringing humanitarian supplies from the northern crossing point of the Gaza Strip into the territory was killed when the aid convoy was fired upon, a spokesman for the United Nations said.

Adnan Abu Hasna, from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said the convoy came under Israeli fire near the Erez Crossing, killing one driver and injuring another.

The convoy had UN flags and the drivers were wearing UNRWA vests, Abu Hasna said, noting that details were still sketchy and that the agency was gathering more information.