The UN Security Council on Monday wrapped up a closed-door meeting and reported a progress in bridging the gap over a proposed press statement on the Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip.

The council is expected to meet again Tuesday morning with the hope to adopt the statement on the issue, said Hardeep Singh Puri, the Indian UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for November. He told reporters that "the Security Council is fully seized of the situation as it is unfolding."

"Yes, we have been working on that draft press statement," Puri said. "There's still working progress...We hope that we can continue this work first thing tomorrow mooring."

The council began its closed-door meeting on 6:30 p.m. EST (2300GMT) on Monday, and it lasted about one and a half hours to consider a draft statement, which, proposed last Thursday by Morocco, calls for a halt to the Israel-Hamas hostilities. Morocco is the only representative of the Arab countries on the Security Council.

At the meeting, the 15 council members reached agreement on the text of the statement, but some of the council members need to refer the text back on Monday night to their capitals for instructions, Puri said.

The council members are expected to come back to the Security Council with their final response by 9:00 a.m. EST (1400GMT) Tuesday, the statement will be adopted on Tuesday morning with no objection from any of the council member. A press statement is adopted by consensus at the Security Council and the council president will read it to the press here after its adoption.

Puri said the draft statement contains an important message that "the violence has to cease by all parties."

"I am hoping that I can come before you tomorrow morning and read out the statement," he said. "That's my hope and expectation as the permanent representative of India."