By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) - Civilians will continue to suffer in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unless the root causes of the cycles of violence are addressed, Amnesty International UK said Tuesday.
Expressing concern over the escalating violence in Israel, Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, Amnesty UK said that attacks on civilians and hostage-taking are "war crimes and cannot be justified by any circumstances."
"Without addressing root causes of cycles of violence, including upholding international law and ending the system of apartheid against Palestinians, civilians will continue to suffer," it said on X.
The group said they urgently call for justice and accountability.
The Palestinian Hamas group launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets and infiltrating Israel by land, air and sea. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence against Palestinians.
In retaliation, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 900, including at least 260 children and 200 women, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said Tuesday. It said the number of wounded has risen to over 4,500.
At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed and over 2,806 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.