New York  - The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting late Saturday to discuss the situation in Gaza.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was to attend the closed-door session, which was expected to begin at 10 pm (0300 GMT), UN spokeswoman Marie Okaba said.

Israel unleashed waves of airstrikes against the Gaza Strip Saturday, targeting Hamas installations and personnel, and killing 225 people, most of them militants. More than 750 people were injured in the strikes.

Earlier Saturday, Ban called for an immediate halt to the renewed violence in the Middle East.

"While recognizing Israel's security concerns regarding the continued firing of rockets from Gaza, he firmly reiterates Israel's obligation to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law and condemns excessive use of force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians," a statement from Ban's spokesperson said.

"He condemns the ongoing rocket attacks by Palestinian militants and is deeply distressed that repeated calls on Hamas for these attacks to end have gone unheeded," it added. (dpa)