Egeland asks for 72-hour truce

UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland tonight called for a three-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah to evacuate trapped civilians and replenish supplies to areas cut off by the fighting.

Mr Egeland told reporters thousands of children, elderly and disabled had been stranded after more than two weeks of war, while supplies of food and medicines were dwindling.

He said he hoped the three-day pause could be the start of a larger cessation of hostilities between the two sides.