Qatar holds Israel responsible for escalation in occupied territories, others urge restraint

Qatar holds the Israeli regime solely responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinians, as a number of other regional countries urge both sides to exercise restraint.

In a statement on Saturday, Qatar expressed deep concern over the latest developments in Palestine's occupied territories, holding Israel “solely” responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry made the remarks after Palestinian fighters launched their biggest operation against the occupying regime in years and managed to cross the fences into Israeli-occupied cities with a heavy barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip.

The ministry said that Israel alone is responsible for the ongoing flare-up, calling on all parties to halt the escalations and “exercise utmost restraint”.

It also urged the international community to prevent Israel from using these events as an excuse to launch a disproportionate war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. 

'Operation al-Aqsa Storm': Palestinians capture Israeli base, kill soldiers

Palestinians have launched their biggest operation against Israel in years in a surprise offensive that combined fighters crossing the fence into Israeli occupied cities with a heavy barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip.

Syria, meanwhile, hailed the Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and said that resistance is the only way to achieve the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

“Palestinian resistance factions marked a new chapter of struggle on the path to achieving the inalienable Palestinian rights,” Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

“Syria reiterates its support for the Palestinian people against Zionist terrorism and stresses that Palestine is close to achieving the desired victory,” the statement added.

The Iraqi government called for an emergency meeting of the Arab League to discuss “serious” developments within the Palestinian territories.

“Iraq reaffirms its steadfast position, as a people and a government, towards the Palestinian issue, and its support for the Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate aspirations and securing their full rights,” Bassam Al-Awadi, a government spokesperson, said in statement.

“Injustice and the violation of these rights cannot produce sustainable peace,” he added.

Oman called on Israel and the Palestinians to exercise maximum self-restraint, urging the international community to "intervene immediately to stop the ongoing escalation and resort to the rules of international law".

In a statement on Saturday, Saudi Arabia also called for an “immediate halt to the escalation,” urging the protection of civilians and for the two sides to show restraint.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry further noted that it is closely watching the unprecedented developments unfolding between the Israeli regime and the Palestinian resistance groups and the ensuing escalation in violence.

It also reiterated the kingdom’s previous warnings that the ongoing Israeli occupation and depriving Palestinians of their legitimate rights may risk the situation boiling over in the occupied territories.

Riyadh further warned against the ongoing systematic provocations against the holy sites.  

It also called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and activate a credible peaceful process that would end with the implementation of the two-state solution to achieve security and

Meanwhile, Turkey, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have called for restraint from both sides, seeking a quick end to the ongoing violence without letting the situation go out of control.

On Saturday, resistance fighters broke out of the fences separating Gaza and illegally occupied territories and infiltrated a number of towns and settlements, with hundreds of rockets fired at Israel. 

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said more than 7,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, declaring it had started "Operation al-Aqsa Storm". 

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement also said its fighters have joined the operation as Hamas called on Palestinians everywhere to fight and on resistance groups in Lebanon to join the fighting against Israel. 

Israeli troops attack Palestinian mourners in West Bank, injure over 50

Israeli forces attacked the funeral procession of a Palestinian with live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas.

The operation came a day after Israeli forces attacked hundreds of Palestinians attending the funeral procession of a young Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, injuring over 50 people.

Israel has escalated its violence against Palestinians recently, particularly after a right-wing cabinet led by Benjamin Netanyahu came to power.

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