UNITED NATIONS - U.N. Security Council members reached agreement on Sunday on a statement expressing the 15-nation body's "extreme shock and distress" at the deadly Israeli shelling of the Lebanese village of Qana.

Lebanese light candles during a sit-in at Martyrs' square in central Beirut. The UN Security Council has said it "strongly deplores" the 50-plus deaths from Israel's attack on the Lebanese village of Qana and called for an end to the violence.[AFP]

The statement, to be brought to a vote soon, "strongly deplores this loss of innocent lives" in Qana but does not call for an immediate truce, as requested by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan but opposed by the United States.

The statement, which requires unanimous approval to be issued, also affirms the council's determination to work "without any further delay" to adopt a resolution "for a lasting settlement of the crisis."