The presidential statement was approved unanimously by the 15-member council Sunday evening in an emergency session.

The statement "strongly deplores this loss of innocent life and the killing of civilians in the present conflict."

Israeli armed forces killed 57 Lebanese citizens, including 37 children, on Sunday alone in the Lebanese village of Qana, while Hezbollah have killed around 50 Israelis in total since the war began 19 days ago.

A Lebanese official said around 750 people have been dead there since July 12, when Israel started a campaign of airstrikes after the Lebanon-based guerilla group, Hezbollah, kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others.