UNITED NATIONS, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed the ceasefire that ended 50 days of fighting in the Gaza Strip, and warned Israel and Palestinian militants that any violations of it would be "utterly irresponsible," Ban's spokesman said.
"The Secretary-General welcomes today's announcement of an open-ended ceasefire for Gaza, brokered under Egyptian auspices," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "A brighter future for Gaza and for Israel depends on a sustainable ceasefire."
He added that Ban believes peace efforts must get at the root causes of the conflict to avoid future violence: "Gaza must be brought back under one legitimate Palestinian Government adhering to the PLO commitments; the blockade of Gaza must end; Israel's legitimate security concerns must be addressed." (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Chris Reese)
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