DUBAI: Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 320 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The escalation has triggered worldwide condemnation to Israel’s heaviest assault in the territory since a ceasefire took effect in January.
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk said: “I am horrified by last night's Israeli airstrikes and shelling in Gaza,” in a statement, adding that “This will add tragedy onto tragedy.”
The United Nations’ Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory urged for the ceasefire in Gaza to be immediately reinstated.
“This is unconscionable. A ceasefire must be reinstated immediately” Muhannad Hadi said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the resumption of “aggression by the occupying forces against Gaza,” including the direct shelling of civilian areas, the Foreign Ministry said.
Turkey also denounced Israel's deadly strikes in Gaza as “a new phase” in its “genocide policy”, saying the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied humanity through its breach of international law.
“The massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in Israel's attacks on Gaza... demonstrates that the Netanyahu government's genocide policy has entered a new phase,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Kremlin said that it was concerned by what it called a large number of civilian casualties after Israel struck Gaza and hoped that peace would return.
“Undoubtedly, it's another deterioration in the situation (in Gaza) and another spiral of escalation that is causing our concern,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Especially concerning of course are the reports of major casualties among the civilian population,” Peskov added.
The Egyptian foreign ministry called Israel's deadly overnight air strikes on Gaza a “flagrant violation”.
The strikes constitute a “dangerous escalation which threatens to have bring serious consequences for the stability of the region.”
Jordan, which like Egypt neighbours Israel, also condemned the strikes.
Jordan government spokesman Mohammed Momani said: “We have been following since last night Israel's aggressive and barbaric bombing of the Gaza Strip,” underlining “the need to stop this aggression”.
Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, condemned Israel's strikes on Gaza and said there was a need for talks to resume in order to implement the phases of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
