CAIRO, Mar 18: The Egyptian foreign ministry condemned Israel's deadly overnight air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, calling them a "flagrant violation" of the ceasefire that took effect on January 19.
The strikes constitute a "dangerous escalation which threatens to bring serious consequences for the stability of the region", said the statement from Egypt, which brokered the Gaza ceasefire alongside Qatar and the United States.
It called on the international community to "act immediately to halt the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip in order to prevent the region entering a new spiral of violence and counterviolence".
Iran condemned Israel's wave of air strikes in Gaza on Tuesday, the deadliest since a truce took effect in January.
In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called the strikes a "continuation of the genocide and ethnic cleansing" in the Palestinian territories, and accused the United States of "direct responsibility" in the attack.
Israel carried out its heaviest attacks since the start of the ceasefire overnight, with the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reporting more than 400 people killed.
Baqaei warned of the "catastrophic consequences and implications of this situation on global peace and security".
Iran does not recognise Israel, which its officials refer to as the "Zionist regime", and Tehran has made support for the Palestinian cause a pillar of its foreign policy since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Tehran also supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas, with which Israel has been at war in Gaza since the group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned Israel's bombing of "unarmed civilians" after more than 400 people were killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
A foreign ministry statement voiced "Saudi Arabia's condemnation and denunciation in the strongest terms of the Israeli occupation forces' resumption of aggression... and their direct bombardment of areas populated by unarmed civilians".
The British government called on Israel and Hamas Tuesday to implement their ceasefire agreement for Gaza "in full", urging all parties to "return urgently to dialogue" to end fighting.
"We want to see this ceasefire agreement re-established as soon as possible," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman, adding that reported civilian casualties from Israeli strikes overnight were "appalling".
Russia on Tuesday condemned Israel's renewed strikes on the Gaza strip, which killed more than 400 people according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
"Moscow deeply regrets Israel's resumption of its military operation in the Gaza Strip," the Russian foreign ministry said.
"Russia strongly condemns any action that leads to the death of civilians and destruction of social infrastructure."
Gaza war mediator Qatar on Tuesday strongly condemned Israel's resumed attacks that killed more than 400 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Qatar's foreign ministry "warns that (Israel's) escalating policies will ultimately ignite the region and undermine its security and stability", it said in a statement.
Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Tuesday that Israel had "no alternative" other than to resume military operations in Gaza after its efforts to secure the release of hostages failed. �"AFP
