Pakistan has strongly condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 400 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The airstrikes on Tuesday ended weeks of relative calm after ceasefire talks stalled. Witnesses reported that the strikes hit homes and tent settlements across the Gaza Strip, while Israeli tanks also launched attacks from across the border. Gaza’s health ministry confirmed 404 fatalities, marking one of the deadliest days since the conflict began.

Both Israel and Hamas blamed each other for violating the truce, which had provided temporary relief to 2 million residents of Gaza, where much of the infrastructure is already in ruins.

In a strong statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office condemned the strikes as a “horrific act of aggression”, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. It further termed the attacks a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement”, warning that they could destabilize the region.

Pakistan has urged the global community to take immediate action to halt the violence and resume diplomatic efforts to ensure lasting peace in Gaza and the Middle East.