DOHA, Nov. 20– Qatar on Thursday condemned Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip that killed and injured civilians, warning that the strikes marked a dangerous escalation that could undermine the ceasefire in the enclave.
In a statement on its official website, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns the brutal attacks carried out by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip.”
The ministry urged regional and international partners to help maintain the ceasefire as a step toward ending the war in Gaza and achieving lasting peace in the region.
Qatar is a key mediator and one of the guarantors of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began on Oct. 10. Despite the truce, Israel has continued to launch strikes in the enclave, saying they respond to “violations” by Hamas.
On Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes across Gaza, saying they were responding to gunfire at Israeli soldiers in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Gaza’s health authorities said on Thursday the Israeli strikes killed 32 people, including 12 children and eight women, and wounded 88 others in the past 24 hours.
Wednesday was one of the deadliest days for Gaza residents since the ceasefire began. Since the truce, at least 312 Palestinians have been killed and 760 wounded, and authorities have recovered 572 bodies, according to Gaza officials. (Xinhua)
