ISTANBUL 

Egypt and Jordan on Tuesday strongly condemned Israel’s launch of a new phase of its military offensive on Gaza City as a “grave escalation” and a “blatant violation” of international humanitarian law.

In a statement, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called the expansion of the Israeli assault “reckless,” warning of catastrophic consequences for the Palestinian territories and the wider region.

It held the international community responsible for failing to act against “crimes and genocide” in Gaza and urged immediate steps to end the war in the enclave, where almost 65,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The ministry stressed that the offensive would only worsen Gaza’s dire humanitarian situation, citing Israel’s siege, starvation tactics, and mass displacement of civilians.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry also decried the expansion of Israel’s ground assault and intensified bombardment of the enclave, calling it a “flagrant breach of international law and humanitarian law.”

Spokesman Fouad Mijalli reiterated the kingdom’s absolute rejection of Israel’s attempts to impose new realities on the ground, including forced displacement of Palestinians.

Jordan warned that Israel’s escalation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank risks plunging the entire region into further cycles of violence, threatening regional and international peace and security.

Both countries urged the international community to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities, ensure an immediate halt to the offensive, and guarantee the delivery of sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.

The expanded assault on Gaza City comes as nearly a million Palestinians remain trapped in the city under relentless bombardment.

Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed almost 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza. The assault has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and triggered widespread starvation and disease.