ISTANBUL

The Arab world moved swiftly to condemn Israeli airstrikes Tuesday on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza which left hundreds dead and injured.

Saudi Arabia condemned in "the strongest terms the inhumane targeting by the Israeli occupation forces of the Jabalia camp," according to a statement by its Foreign Ministry.

It pointed out that "preventing bloodshed, protecting civilians and stopping military operations are urgent priorities that cannot be accepted for any procrastination or obstruction. Failure to immediately adhere to them will inevitably lead to a humanitarian catastrophe for which the Israeli occupation and the international community bear responsibility."

In a Foreign Ministry statement, the United Arab Emirates condemned “the severity of the bombing carried out by Israel on the Jabalia camp in the Gaza Strip, stressing that “the continuation of the senseless bombing will lead the region to repercussions that are difficult to remedy.”

It stressed "the necessity of an immediate cease-fire to prevent bloodshed."

Qatar strongly condemned "the Israeli occupation's bombing of the Jabalia camp in Gaza," according to a statement by its Foreign Ministry.

It described the attack as "a new massacre against the defenseless Palestinian people and called on the international community to act quickly to stop the killing and destruction."

It stressed that the bombing "constitutes a dangerous escalation in the course of confrontations and would undermine mediation and de-escalation efforts and portend more tension, violence and instability."

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that it “strongly condemns Israel’s inhumane targeting of an entire residential square in Jabalia camp in northern Gaza that left hundreds killed and injured.”

The ministry considered the bombing of a residential area "a blatant violation of international law" which will exacerbate the situation.

It urged countries and relevant international bodies to condemn the attack and the international community to shoulder responsibility for providing protection to Palestinian civilians.

Jordan in a Foreign Ministry statement condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli “aggression” that targeted the Jabalia camp.

In a statement, it held Israel, “the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous development.”

It called on "the international community to assume its responsibility, deter Israel from committing more crimes against civilians and stop its senseless war on the Gaza Strip."

In Yemen, the Foreign Ministry condemned in a statement "the targeting of the Jabalia camp by the Israeli occupation forces in a new violation added to the list of violations against the Palestinian people."

The ministry called on "the international community to take an immediate stance to stop these crimes."

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation meanwhile condemned in a statement “in the strongest terms the continuation of Israeli massacres and war crimes, the most recent of which was the Jabalia camp massacre,” calling on “the international community to intervene urgently in order to stop this aggression.”

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, also condemned in “the strongest terms Israel’s bombing of the Jabalia camp,” reiterating its call for an immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat