TEMPO.CO, Ramallah - Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has demanded Israel to immediately halt aerial offensive in the Gaza Strip following Israel's air and rocket strikes to Gaza region.
"Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas demanded Israel immediately stop its escalation and the raids on Gaza," said a statement from Abbas' office published by the official WAFA news agency, Tuesday.
Abbas also asked the international community "to immediately intervene to halt this dangerous escalation which would lead the region to more destruction and instability."
He said the Palestinian leadership was making "intensive and urgent calls" to many Arab leaders in the hope of pressuring Israel to de-escalate the situation.
Early on Tuesday, Israel launched an operation called "Operation Protective Edge" that bombed more than 30 targets in the Gaza Strip around an hour before dawn to eradicate Hamas militants.
Scores of rockets bombarded houses in southern Gaza Strip, including a house confirmed to belong to a Hamas member. At least nine people suffered shrapnel injuries.
CHANNEL NEWS ASIA | REUTERS | ROSALINA
