US ambassador Susan Rice strongly defended Israel's military riposte to "vicious" Hamas attacks at an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the new Gaza crisis.
While Arab envoys called on the council to condemn Israel's attacks, Rice said there was no justification for the violence that "Hamas and other terrorist organizations" are aiming at Israel.
Egypt and other Arab nations called for the emergency meeting after Israel killed the Hamas military commander during more than 20 air strikes on Gaza.
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Palestinian diplomats said at least nine people were killed and dozens injured in the attacks. Israel said it had been forced to act over mounting rocket attacks into its territory.
Highlighting Israel's claim that at least 768 rockets have been fired from Gaza this year, Rice told the council: "Israel, like any nation, has the right to defend itself against such vicious attacks.
"There is no justification for the violence that Hamas and other terrorist organizations are employing against the people of Israel. We call on those responsible to stop these cowardly acts immediately."
Rice said that the rocket attacks were harming efforts to end the Middle East conflict and create a Palestinian state.
"Hamas claims to have the best interests of the Palestinian people at heart, yet it continues to engage in violence that does nothing but set back the Palestinian cause," said the US ambassador, who is considered a frontrunner to become the next US secretary of state.
"Attacking Israel on a near daily basis does nothing to help Palestinians in Gaza nor to move the Palestinian people any closer to achieving self determination and independence," Rice said.
