Saudi warns Israel of 'serious repercussions', says ground operations 'unjustified' violation of international law

Saudi Arabia on Saturday warned Israel against any further ground operations in the embattled Gaza Strip over the threat to Palestinian civilians, denouncing an “unjustified” violation of international law.

The warning came after Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Friday night that the Israeli army was “extending” its ground operations after two straight nights of tank incursions.

Saudi Arabia “condemns and denounces any ground operations carried out by Israel due to the threat they pose to the lives of Palestinian civilians”, the kingdom’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

It warned against “the danger of continuing to carry out these blatant and unjustified violations of international law against the brotherly Palestinian people”, saying it would have “serious repercussions for the stability of the region”.

Israel launched an expanded ground operation on Saturday after knocking out communications and creating a near-blackout of information in the Gaza Strip with increased bombardment and artillery fire overnight.

Israel’s defense minister said that “the ground shook in Gaza” and that the war against the Palestinian territory’s Hamas rulers had entered a new stage. Gaza residents described the massive overnight bombardment from the sea and the air as the most intense of the 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war.

Other countries, United Nations officials and aid agencies described a dire situation on the ground in Gaza as ambulances left without cellphone or radio service resorted to chasing the sound of artillery fire to local people wounded.

The Palestinian death toll since the war started passed 7,700, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.

More than 1,400 people were slain in Israel during a surprise incursion by Hamas militants, including at least 310 soldiers, according to the Israeli government. At least 229 hostages were taken into Gaza, and four hostages were released earlier.

With inputs from agencies.