The government of Bangladesh on Monday expressed its strongest condemnation of the Israeli occupying forces` continued mass killing and gross violations of human rights in the Gaza Strip.

Israel`s ongoing military attacks since last month`s unilateral breach of the ceasefire have killed scores of Palestinians, mostly women and children as well as blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza leading to a human catastrophe.

"Evidently, Israel has shown no regard to repeated international appeals and has instead engaged in an increasingly intense killing spree," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh strongly denounced the Israeli occupying forces` indiscriminate aerial bombardment of densely populated civilian areas in Gaza with the overt intention of carrying out ethnic cleansing against the defenceless Palestinian population.

The government of Bangladesh demanded that Israel immediately cease all military operations, exercise maximum restraint and abide by its duty under international humanitarian law.

Bangladesh appealed to the international community, in particular the United Nations, to discharge its moral and legal responsibilities by adopting immediate and effective steps towards the implementation of an unconditional ceasefire and the cessation of all hostilities for the protection of lives of civilians and unobstructed passage of humanitarian relief to besieged Gaza.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the strong support of the government of Bangladesh for all the just rights of the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The government of Bangladesh iterated the necessity of returning to the negotiation platform for permanent peace in the Middle East, which is vital for both regional and global stability.

Bangladesh also appealed to all concerned to commit themselves to the path of diplomacy and dialogue to put an end to the violence and sufferings afflicting the Palestinian people.

Bangladesh said it remains steadfast and unequivocal in its call on the global community to work towards a two state solution of the Palestinian issue based on international law, United Nations resolutions, and the Palestinian aspirations for peace, dignity and justice.