The situation in the region escalated a week ago after Lebanon's Hizbollah opened fire on Israeli facilities and took Israeli servicemen hostage. In response, Israel deployed troops in Lebanon and launched devastating air strikes on the country.
"The UN attaches great importance to the humanitarian aspect of the situation around Lebanon, and also in Gaza, and it could possibly soon urge humanitarian aid to these two regions," Alexander Yakovenko told journalists.
On Sunday, the leaders of the eight industrialized nations adopted a statement calling on Hizbollah to release the soldiers and end rocket attacks on Israeli territory, while also urging Israel to halt its offensive against Hizbollah targets in Lebanon.
Yakovenko said that Russia had backed the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's initiative to send international peacekeepers to the Israel-Lebanon conflict zone, but added that it was early to talk about Russia's participation because the proposal was only being considered.
"We cannot say anything about it yet because the issue of sending the contingent is only being discussed at the UN Security Council," Yakovenko said.
