ALGIERS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The renewed, deadly Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip are a blatant violation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a statement.
Condemning the airstrikes as also "clear disregard for international laws and humanitarian principles," the ministry called for "immediate action to hold Israel accountable for violating the ceasefire and to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians."
Algeria reaffirms its full solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to an independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the statement said.
The condemnation came as Israel launched massive airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday, killing more than 400 people and further shattering a fragile ceasefire that took effect on Jan. 19.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later in the day that Israel will escalate its renewed assault on the enclave and that "from now on, the negotiations (on Gaza ceasefire) will take place only under fire." ■
