Tunisia: Thousands march in support of Palestinians

Protesters gathered in Tunisia's capital on Wednesday to show support for Palestinians, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza continues into its second week.

Thousands were present in the march down Tunis' Mohamed V avenue, many calling for the Tunisian Parliament to pass a law criminalizing "normalization" with Israel.

The latest rally is one of many to have taken place in support of the Palestinian people, of which at least 227 have been killed, including 64 children and 38 women, with 1,620 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad say at least 20 of their fighters have been killed, while Israel says the number is at least 130. Some 58,000 Palestinians have fled their homes.

Meanwhile twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, have been killed.

Diplomatic flurry

During a speech on Wednesday General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labor Union Noureddine Taboubi called for a boycott of American goods and goods from European countries which support Israel.

The United States, a key Israel ally, has repeatedly blocked adoption of a joint UN Security Council statement calling for a halt to hostilities.

A UN Security Council meeting broke up without issuing a statement late Tuesday, but France then said it had proposed a resolution calling for a ceasefire, in coordination with Egypt and Jordan.

Beijing's ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, told reporters his team had heard the French ceasefire proposal and China was "supportive".

But the United States said Wednesday it would not support the proposed resolution, saying it could undermine efforts to de-escalate the crisis.