The UN was asking the parties "for at least a 72-hour cessation of hostilities so that we can evacuate the wounded, we can evacuate children, the elderly and the disabled from the cross-fire in southern Lebanon," Jan Egeland spoke to reporters after returning from a trip to the region to coordinate an international aid effort.

The temporary stop would allow relief workers to send food, medical supplies and other emergency supplies in the conflict zone where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since July 12, Egeland said.

"There is something fundamentally wrong with a war where there are more dead children than armed men," Egeland said after briefing the UN Security Council on his trip.

"It has to stop. There has been too much suffering in southern Lebanon, in Israel and in Gaza, which is becoming the forgotten conflict in the Middle East," he said.

During his visit to region, Egeland toured Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories.