UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday welcomed the cease-fire agreement reached last month by Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

    In a press statement read out by Qatar's UN Ambassador Nasser Abdulaziz al-Nasser, the president of the 15-member body for December, the council "welcomed the agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to establish a mutual cease-fire in Gaza."

    Council members "welcomed the steps taken by both sides to maintain the ceasefire and expressed their hope that it would lead to a sustained period of calm."

    They urged both sides to "avoid any actions which could jeopardize further progress" and reiterated "their call for an end to all aspects of terrorism and violence," the statement added.