In a statement released here Tuesday, the ASEAN foreign ministers, who are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the 39th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting starting on Tuesday, also condemned attacks that had resulted in injury and death of innocent civilians and the destruction of civilian property and infrastructure.

"We are gravely concerned over the deteriorating situation and the escalation of violence in the Middle East, particularly the disproportionate, indiscriminate and excessive use of force by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Lebanon, triggered by the capture of two Israeli soldiers," the statement said.

It said the act would threaten efforts towards reviving the peace process.

"We urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint, in particular to avoid additional casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian property and infrastructure and to refrain from acts that could further exacerbate the situation and worsen the humanitarian crisis," it said.

The ministers also called for an immediate cease-fire and urged the international community and the United Nations (UN) Security Council to get all parties in the conflict to adhere to the cease-fire under UN supervision with the participation of countries that are able to do so.

"We reaffirm the call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the government of Lebanon as stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 1664 and 1680," the statement said.

The ASEAN foreign ministers also urged Israel and Palestine to return to the peace process and the implementation of the Quartet Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 1515, according to the statement.

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.