GENEVA, July 21. /ITAR-TASS/. The UN Human Rights Council has backed Egypt’s proposal to hold a special session on the situation in Gaza.

The session will be held on July 23, the UNRC told ITAR-TASS on Monday.

In compliance with the UNRC rules at least 16 states supported such session that is expected to adopt a resolution on the situation in the Gaza Strip. The idea was upheld by Russia and China. This will be the 12st session of the UNCR, created in 2006.

On July 8, 2014, the Israel Defense Forces announced the start of the operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip against Hamas militants. The IDF made strikes on 50 targets in the Gaza Strip, most of which were launching platforms for rockets. Five Palestinians were killed and some 20 were wounded.

The immediate reason for the operation was that cities in southern Israel were massively shelled by Hamas military wing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. According to the Israeli army’s press service, on July 7, some 90 missiles were fired on Israel from the Gaza Strip. As of early July, 450 missiles had been fired since the start of 2014.