CAIRO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israel's "arrogance of power" and persistent violation of international law in pursuit of narrow political interests or "baseless beliefs" is a grave miscalculation, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Israel's "escalatory policies," including expanding occupation in Gaza and the West Bank, continuing "systematic crimes" against innocent civilians, and planning for displacing Palestinians from their land, will "inflame the already tense situation" in Gaza and the West Bank, and damage regional peace and security for years to come, it said in a statement.
Regarding the start of a new Israeli offensive on Gaza City on Wednesday, the ministry called the move a new attempt to solidify Israel's "illegal occupation" of Palestinian territories and a complete disregard for ceasefire mediation efforts.
It is a "blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law," it said.
On Wednesday, Israel's military spokesman Effie Defrin said the Israeli army had begun the next stage of its operation, in line with "the directive of the political echelon." He said ground assaults were already under way in Gaza City's Zaytun neighborhood and the nearby town of Jabalia, with more forces set to join the fighting.
The push, which has drawn fierce international criticism, was described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an attempt to "defeat Hamas and conquer Gaza City."
The Israeli army said it now holds "operational control" over about 75 percent of Gaza, after repeated offensives have left much of its largest urban center in ruins.
Gaza-based health authorities said in an update on Thursday that since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has killed 62,192 people and injured 157,114 others.
They added that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza have caused 271 deaths, including 112 children. ■
