Israel and Hamas have agreed to a five-hour United Nations-brokered “humanitarian” pause to their nine-day battle, offering the most encouraging sign yet that the fierce fighting could come to an end.

US and Western diplomats yesterday failed to bring Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers together for face-to-face talks on the confrontation in Crimea.

The Ukraine Ministry has claimed that the UN envoy in Crimea has been detained by gunmen.

Ukraine’s United Nations ambassador has asked an emergency session of the world body’s Security Council “to do everything possible now” to stop Russian “aggression” as troops took over the strategic Crimea region.

THE United Nations urged Israel to reopen Gaza crossings as senior officials assessed war damage and the Jewish state warned it would strike again if Hamas rearms through smuggling tunnels.