Visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Wednesday on the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 950 Palestinians.

The two sides reviewed the latest developments of the Gaza crisis and are expected to discuss an Egyptian initiative aiming at putting an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in Gaza.

Ban, who arrived here earlier on Wednesday morning for a week-long Middle East mediation tour, is also scheduled to visit Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Kuwait to strengthen the joint diplomatic efforts to strive for an early end to the Gaza fighting.

Ban's Middle East tour came as part of the UN efforts to push for the implementation of a UN Security Council resolution on Gaza.

On Thursday, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1860, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza "leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces."

Meanwhile, Mubarak on January 6 presented a three-point proposal, which calls for an immediate ceasefire for a limited period to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and give Egypt time to continue its efforts to help reach a lasting truce.

Egypt would invite both Israel and the Palestinians for negotiation and help resume the inter-Palestinian reconciliation talks, according to the proposal.

During his stay in Egypt, Ban is also expected to have talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and senior officials of the Cairo-based Arab League on the Gaza situation.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2009)