ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia late Saturday condemned the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, which left at least 29 Palestinians dead and dozens injured.

A statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the kingdom stands by the Palestinian people, calling on the international community to “shoulder its responsibility to end the escalation, provide the necessary protection to civilians and exert all efforts to end this conflict.”

Israel launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday citing an "imminent threat of attack" by the Islamic Jihad group.

The attacks came amid rising tensions across Palestinian territories since Monday, when Israeli forces detained Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad, in a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

At least 29 Palestinians have been killed, including six children and four women, and over 250 others injured in the Israeli offensive, according to the Health Ministry.

Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar