The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday that it had received pledges from Israel to give better access for the ICRC in southern Lebanon.

ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger, who has just ended a four-day visit to southern Lebanon and Israel, insisted that improved access was essential given the desperate humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon.

In a statement from the ICRC's Geneva headquarters, Kellenberger said he had talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday and Olmert gave him "personal commitments" that everything possible would be done to ease access for ICRC teams onthe ground.

"I note that some steps have already been taken (by Israel) today and I intend to closely monitor this key issue," Kellenberger said in the statement.

Earlier in Jerusalem, Kellenberger told a news conference that Olmert had promised to help in the evacuation of between 400 and 600 people, mainly children and injured, from southern Lebanon and to allow a ship with food and medicines to enter the port of Tyre.

During his visit, Kellenberger pressed the warring parties, namely Israel and Hezbollah, to spare civilian lives and infrastructure, as well as pay more respect to the rules of war as enshrined in international humanitarian law.

"The distinction between civilians and civilian property, on the one hand, and military targets on the other is fundamental," he said in the statement.

"Once again, civilians are paying the price of conflict. There is little consideration given to their protection - protection they are entitled to under international humanitarian law," he commented.

In his talks with Israeli authorities, Kellenberger said he was "extremely concerned" about the insufficient access for the ICRC and the Lebanese Red Cross to areas most affected by the fighting.

He said the ICRC had been able to return to those areas only sporadically and always under "incredibly difficult" security conditions.

"Even life-saving emergency evacuations so desperately needed are, at best, delayed for days. We also face enormous obstacles to bring in aid convoys loaded with essential foodstuffs, water and medicines for trapped civilians," Kellenberger noted.