STRASBOURG, November 10, 2006 (WAFA) - Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), recently returned from a fact finding mission to Israel and Palestine, called for an international force to stop the killing in Gaza and for an end to the occupation.

The MEPs said, in a press release, that they are shocked and appalled by what we have seen and experienced in Gaza.

They called upon Israel to stop the violation of human rights and repeated breaches of the Geneva Convention.

They said, almost all public institutions have shut down due to economic sanctions. "The hospitals are overcrowded and receive neither money nor sufficient medicine. The public employees have not been paid for months," reads the press release.

It added that "the doctors told us that some deadly injuries are not caused by traditional weapons but most likely by new experimental chemical weapons. More amputations than ever are necessary. They have not had the time to examine the dead bodies yet as they are busy dealing with the wounds of those who have survived."

The MEPs said the closure of Rafah and Karni crossings for people and goods has turned Gaza into an open air prison.

They called for a complete ceasefire by Israel, an immediate withdrawal of troops from Gaza and an end to the military incursion in the West Bank, strongly objecting to the description by Israel of those it has killed as "terrorists."

They also called and insisted that the EU should review the association agreement and consider imposition of sanctions on Israel unless it ceases the killing of civilians and the violation of human rights, thus complying with article 2 of the association agreement.

"We urge Hamas and Fatah and all the democratic Palestinian forces, even under these circumstances, not to stop their efforts to form a Unity Government as already agreed on the document of national reconciliation which recognises the 1967 borders of the state of Palestine and Israel," according to the press released.

They called upon the EU to open dialogue with all the Palestinian national institutions and to put pressure on the Israeli government to release the tax revenues confiscated from the Palestinian government.

The MEPs asked the UN and the Quartet to send international forces to protect the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations, while calling for an international conference with all the parties involved reaching a comprehensive and just peace for the area.

A.D (20:53 P) (18:53 GMT)