The United Nations Security Council has begun its meeting to discuss a possible resolution on the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Foreign ministers from several Arab nations, the US, Britain and France, along with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, were attending Tuesday's meeting where a draft resolution proposed by Arab nations is expected to be discussed.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said at the meeting's opening on Tuesday that the "only" answer to the crisis was "an end to the violence ... and a political way forward".

He also said he intended to visit Israel, the Palestinian territories and other nations in the Middle East later in the week for further meetings on the crisis.

Abbas was to also address the meeting after meeting Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, earlier on Tuesday.

Diplomatic activity

Al Jazeera's Ghida Fakhry, reporting from New York, said a draft resolution could be tabled by Libya, the only Arab member of the current security council, as early as Tuesday evening.

It could then be put to a council vote on Wednesday evening, although many ambassadors said this was unlikely, our correspondent said.

Last week, the US blocked a Libyan-backed proposal for the UN to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The latest council meeting follows a flurry of diplomatic meetings on the crisis earlier on Tuesday and on Monday.