Gaza cease-fire draft circulating UN: Envoy

Riyad Mansour told reporters before the Security Council’s monthly meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Mideast on Tuesday that the resolution would be given to all 15 council members later Tuesday. It was endorsed by the Palestinians’ supporters last week.

A draft dated July 18 and obtained by The Associated Press calls for “an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, including the withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces from the Gaza Strip.”

It also calls for “all necessary measures to ensure the protection of civilians, including the immediate cessation of military reprisals, collective punishment and excessive use of force against the Palestinian civilian population.”