BEIRUT
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has offered support for Palestinian resistance factions battling thousands of Israeli troops deployed in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been reeling under relentless Israeli attacks since July 7.
In a Monday statement, the Lebanese group said Nasrallah had phoned Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal late Sunday.
He told Meshaal that "Hezbollah and the Lebanese resistance stand by the resistance of the Palestinian people," according to the statement.
The Hezbollah chief also called Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Shalah to reaffirm support for "the resistance in the Gaza Strip and its readiness to cooperate to foil the [Israeli] aggression," the statement said.
Since July 7, Israel has been pounding the besieged Gaza Strip with air and naval bombardments with the stated aim of halting rocket attacks.
On Thursday, Israel decided to send thousands of troops into the Palestinian territory.
At least 509 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3150 injured in the ongoing Israeli onslaught.
The military operation, dubbed operation "Protective Edge," is Israel's third major offensive against Gaza in the last six years.
By Hamza Takeen
www.aa.com.tr/en
