Jordan warns: Escalation in Gaza threatens entire region

Jordanian minister's comments come as Hamas, Arab League approach int'l bodies to stop "Israeli offensive" in Strip.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS
Jordanian flag (photo credit: reuters)
Jordanian flag
(photo credit: reuters)
As the Arab League and Hamas officials reached out to international organizations to stop Israeli counter-attacks on the Gaza Strip, Jordan's Information Ministry issued a statement Sunday warning against continued "military escalation" in Gaza which the statement said "threatened the stability of the region as a whole."
The statement, released by Jordanian Information Minister Abdullah Abu Ruman, condemned "Israel military operations that left civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip and killed a number of Egyptian officers," and warned against further "targeting of civilians" in Gaza.
RELATED:'Hamas talking to Islamic Jihad in effort to halt rockets' Abbas calls on UNSC to 'halt Israeli aggression' The Arab League also condemned Israeli air strikes the Gaza Strip on Sunday and said the United Nations must take action to end the attacks, in which 15 people have died.
"We issued a statement condemning the Israeli offensive on Gaza ... and Egyptian land," Arab League Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby told reporters in Cairo.
"The United Nations has to take procedures to stop the Israeli offensive on Gaza," he said, without giving details of the measures he was urging the UN to take.
Also on Sunday, Hamas Foreign Minister Mohammed Awad said his government has been conducting talks with various contacts in international and regional organizations in an effort to stop Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.
According to the report, Awad has been in contact with the United Nations several times.
Awad told international actors that "Israel wants to send a clear message to the Palestinian people that it remains the strongest actor in the area." He continued, saying that it is the world's responsibility "to act immediately in order to stop the Israeli attacks on Gaza."
The Hamas official added, "Everybody understands that this path will not succeed in breaking the will of the Palestinians."
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