Palestinian Authority slams Israel's escalation in Gaza
Ramallah, Palestinian Territories — The Palestinian Authority on Saturday lambasted the Israeli government's decision to expand its military operations in Gaza, calling on the international community to push for the entry of more aid into the Strip.
According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the Israeli government's moves were 'an unprecedented challenge and provocation to the international will to achieve peace and stability'.
He went on to urge the 'international community, led by the UN Security Council, to urgently compel the occupying state to cease its aggression, allow the entry of aid, and work diligently to enable the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip'.
The PA -- conceived as a first step towards a Palestinian state -- exercises limited administration over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The territory is home to about three million Palestinians, as well as around half a million Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
The PA, however, does not have a presence in Gaza, which has been governed by Hamas for nearly two decades.
Early Friday, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of criticism across the globe.
Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision.
In a post on social media late Friday, Netanyahu said 'we are not going to occupy Gaza -- we are going to free Gaza from Hamas'.
The prime minister faces mounting pressure to secure a ceasefire to bring Gaza's more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants.
A statement issued on Saturday by the foreign ministers of Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom took aim at the decision to occupy Gaza City.
'This will exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of hostages, and increase the risk of a mass exodus of civilians,' they said.
Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry, figures the UN says are reliable.
Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel -- which triggered the war -- resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
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