Qatar holds Israel responsible for escalation in Gaza

ANKARA

Qatar on Saturday held Israel responsible for the ongoing military escalation between Palestinian Hamas resistance movement and Israel.

In a statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said Israel is "solely responsible for the ongoing escalation due to its continuous violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, including the recent repeated incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli police."

It stressed "the urgent need for the international community to compel Israel to cease its blatant violations of international law, abide by international legitimacy resolutions, respect the historical rights of the Palestinian people."

The Foreign Ministry reiterated its "unwavering stance on the justice of the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Statements were also issued by Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, urging both parties to self-restraint and immediate halt to the ongoing escalation.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, announced on Saturday that it initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood with rockets targeting enemy sites, airports, and military installations.

In response, the Israeli army announced launching Operation Iron Swords in Gaza Strip, “initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas.”

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh described the actions as “heroic,” saying they were in response to violence imposed by Israeli forces and illegal settlers on Palestinian civilians and storming of Al Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said the country "has been at war" since morning.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar