Ahmed Gebreel, a spokesman for Libya's UN mission said the 15-member council would meet at 10am EST (11pm Singapore time) Tuesday.

Mr Ban 'is traveling to the region and he wants to brief the council on his visit,' the Libyan diplomat added.

A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the council's Tuesday meeting.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Ban told a press conference that he would leave on Tuesday for a week-long tour of Egypt, Israel, the West Bank city of Ramallah, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Kuwait, where he was to attend an Arab League summit next Monday.

The UN secretary general also demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying 'too many people have died'. -- AFP