"The option we are offering today is the only way forward that ensures this tragedy does not happen again," Nickolay Mladenov, the board's high representative for Gaza, told Israel's Channel 12 television.

　　Calling for pressure

　　Hamas, which publicly backed the plan days after selecting a new leader, Khalil al-Hayya, called on Washington to mount pressure on Netanyahu.

　　"We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the road map, and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons," Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau, told AFP.

　　Hamas in a statement said it was still committed to the plan.

　　Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy on Monday criticized Netanyahu for rejecting the plan. In a news statement, Fahmy said the move showed "blatant disregard" for international will and established peace-process frameworks.

　　Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday urged all parties to the Gaza peace plan to honor their commitments and avoid any steps that could block its implementation or undo the progress made so far.

　　Abdelatty made the remarks during a phone call with Mladenov, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

　　The two sides reviewed the road map for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan, with Abdelatty saying that all agreed provisions must be implemented, including full, safe and sustained humanitarian access and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, according to the statement.

　　AGENCIES-XINHUA