UN Chief Relieved About Gaza, Urges Withdrawal

`I am relieved that the Israeli government has decided to cease hostilities as of midnight GMT`, Ban told reporters.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday he was relieved about an Israeli ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and urged the Jewish state to withdraw all of its troops as soon as possible.

"I am relieved that the Israeli government has decided to cease hostilities as of midnight GMT," Ban told reporters. "This should be the first step leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza," he said, adding that he wanted the withdrawal "as soon as possible".

He said that Hamas militants also needed to do their part to bring an end to the violence by halting their rocket attacks against southern Israel.

"Hamas militants must stop firing rockets now," he said.

Ban said that humanitarian access for the people of the Gaza Strip was the top priority and the United Nations was ready to act immediately.

"Any durable solution must include the reopening of the (Gaza border) crossings and the prevention of illicit trafficking in arms," he said.