LONDON (AA) – Britain on Wednesday urged for an “urgent de-escalation” of tensions as at least 43 Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli air raids on Gaza.
“I am urging Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and for both sides to show restraint,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter.
“The UK is deeply concerned by the growing violence and civilian casualties and we want to see an urgent de-escalation of tensions,” he wrote.
Johnson’s remarks came a day after thousands of protesters urged the British government to end its support to Israel as its warplanes targeted civilian areas in Gaza.
Britain has not yet condemned the civilian deaths during the bombardments on Gaza.
– Rising number of civilian deaths
The death toll of Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces since the start of their offensive on the Gaza Strip has risen to 43, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. At least 296 others have been injured.
Tensions have been running high since last week after an Israeli court ordered the evictions of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem.
Palestinians protesting in solidarity with residents of Sheikh Jarrah have been targeted by Israeli forces.
Five Israelis have also been killed and 45 others injured in Palestinian rocket attacks.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
