UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official on Tuesday warned against the possible expansion of Israeli military operations through the Gaza Strip.

The latest reports regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's possible decision to expand Israel's military operations through the entire Gaza Strip, if true, are deeply alarming, said UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenca.

"This would risk catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and could further endanger the lives of the remaining (Israeli) hostages in Gaza," Jenca told the Security Council in a briefing.

"International law is clear in this regard. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of the future Palestinian state," he stressed. ■