U.N. urges Israel to let Gazans cross borders

GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres urged Israel Monday to allow civilians in Gaza to flee Israeli-Palestinian fighting by crossing the border into Egypt.

In a statement issued from his Geneva office, Guterres also implicitly told Egypt -- and other countries that do not have frontiers with Gaza -- that they had a duty to give shelter to refugees from the conflict.

"Those who are compelled to flee the Gaza Strip should be able to do so and to find safety and security in other countries, according to international law," said Guterres, a former foreign minister of Portugal.

"I thus urge that all borders and access routes concerned should be kept open and safe, and Palestinians endeavouring to leave Gaza should not be prevented from doing so," he added.

Israel has allowed some foreign passport holders living in Gaza to leave but borders have been sealed to all but limited humanitarian aid shipments.

Guterres also called on Israel and Egypt to allow immediate access for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

He said his agency, the UNHCR, had sent some emergency supplies to the Egyptian Red Crescent to help it prepare for the care of any Palestinians allowed across the border.

Guterres voiced "profound shock and sadness" at the suffering and loss of life in Gaza. "The heavy casualties suffered by innocent civilians, including many children, are heartbreaking," he said.

(Editing by Jonathan Lynn)