Diplomatic moves to end the Israeli operation in Gaza have failed to make any breakthrough as both sides vowed to continue fighting.
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, heading an EU peace mission, could offer her little comfort. "We do not have a specific plan for a ceasefire because the ceasefire as such must be concluded by the involved parties," he said in Jerusalem.
"We can mediate, we can assist a solution but it's not up to us to propose the conditions."
Israel said it continue its offensive until Hamas rocket attacks stopped, while Hamas said its fighters were waiting "in every street, every alley and at every house" to tackle Israeli soldiers.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair, envoy for the Quartet group of powers, said a ceasefire was a priority.
"We are doing everything we possibly can to bring about an end to a situation of immense suffering and deprivation," he said after meeting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. The Quartet wanted an immediate ceasefire respected by all sides and to get humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza, Mr Blair said.
France's Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the Israeli offensive for harming chances for peace. He called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip "as soon as possible".
Addressing a news conference in Ramallah today with President Abbas, Mr Sarkozy said the European Union was working to support efforts to end the bloodshed. He said he would tell Israeli leaders later in the day that the violence must stop. He also condemned Hamas for its attacks on Israel.
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki said Arab countries were drafting a UN Security Council council resolution demanding an immediate end to "Israeli aggression" in Gaza.
He said Arab foreign ministers were meeting at the United Nations today to discuss the draft as Israeli forces continued to pound Gaza in an offensive to halt rocket fire against its cities from the Palestinian territory.
Mr Malki told reporters that Arab League chief Amr Moussa along with ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states would discuss the crisis with representatives of the five permanent Security Council members and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"Then we will continue our deliberations in order to prepare for a draft resolution that hopefully will be ... passed in the Security Council tomorrow," Mr Malki said.
He said Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas would be first to address tomorrow's council meeting. Foreign ministers of some of the 15 council members might also attend, diplomats said.
Mr Malki said the Arabs wanted "a resolution that will permit first of all ending the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza and calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, lifting the siege, opening the crossings between Gaza and Israel, and also between Gaza and Egypt."
They wanted the resolution to call for international observers to be stationed at the border crossings with Gaza as well as an "international force" deployed to protect the 1.5 million Palestinians, most of whom depend on humanitarian aid.
The United States, Israel's closest ally, has looked all but sidelined by the pending transfer of its presidency. The Bush administration has supported Israel, saying Hamas must halt rocket fire at Israel for a truce to take shape.
As part of any halt to the fighting, which has led to protests across the world, Israel is seeking international help to bolster security along Gaza's border with Egypt to prevent Hamas from rebuilding tunnels and rearming.
Foreign minister Tzipi Livni today rebuffed European proposals for international observers in the Gaza Strip after any ceasefire, pushing instead for teams that will help search out and seal off tunnels that could allow Hamas to rearm.
Global oil prices, meanwhile, jumped to a three-week high today after an Iranian military commander called for an oil boycott over the Israeli offensive.