Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani warned that Israel's retaliatory strikes on terrorists in the Gaza Strip must not go unpunished, state news agency QNAreported on Thursday, according toAFP.
"This vicious attack must not pass unpunished," QNA quoted the premier as saying at a Wednesday meeting in Saudi Arabia of the six Gulf Arab nations and Russia.
"The UN Security Council must take up its responsibility to secure peace and security in the world," he said, adding the latest escalation of violence in Gaza is likely to "promote extremism."
"We reject extremism and terrorism but such irresponsible and unjustified attacks must be condemned by the world," he said.
In October, Qatar's emir was the first head of state to visit Gaza since Hamas seized control from the Palestinian Authority in 2007.
Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense on Wednesday-- beginning with the targeted assassination of Hamas military chief, Ahmed Jabari-- as terrorists in theGaza Strip continue launching rockets that pulverize Jewish communities in the South.
More than 200 rockets have been fired from Gaza in the last 24 hours, killing three people and wounding two others in the southern Jewish community of Kiryat Malachi.
