Key ministers discussed possible Security Council action on the Israeli-Hamas conflict yesterday and diplomats said a likely outcome is a statement backing an Egyptian-French ceasefire initiative.

Libya formally circulated a revised Arab draft resolution Tuesday that could be voted on by the council, but it would almost certainly be vetoed by the United States because it makes no mention of a key Israeli and US demand for border monitors to destroy tunnels that Hamas has used to smuggle arms in from Egypt since seizing control of Gaza in June 2007.

The Libyan draft calls, in part, for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the opening of all crossings into Gaza, and deployment of an international observer force to monitor a truce and protect Palestinian civilians.

Air and ground offensive

But it doesn't mention Hamas, the militant Palestinian Islamic group that has launched thousands of rockets into southern Israel in recent years. Israel says this persistent rocketing triggered its current Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza.