Gravely concerned by Gaza violence: UN

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday he was extremely worried by a recent flare-up in violence between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"I am gravely concerned at the latest escalation between Gaza and Israel and once again civilians are paying a terrible price," Ban told the UN Security Council.

He said rocket attacks on Israeli civilians were "unacceptable" and urged Israel to "exercise maximum restraint."

The violence, which flared on Friday, has been following a familiar pattern in which militants launch rocket attacks and Israel carries out air raids in the Hamas-controlled enclave. But the bloodshed has usually ended after a few days with an informal truce.