“The Islamic Republic of Iran, as the president of the Non-Aligned Movement, calls for strong condemnation of these crimes by the movement’s member states and severance of all relations with the Zionist regime [of Israel],” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Thursday.
He added that Iran considers the criminal acts of Israel's military forces in killing civilians as organized terrorism and strongly condemns them.
Mehmanparast noted that killing the innocent people of Palestine has become a habit for the Zionist regime of Israel because of the silence of international organizations which claim to advocate human rights.
Israeli airstrikes, shelling, and artillery fire have left at least 17 Palestinians dead and over 40 others injured since Wednesday. Some of the injured are in critical condition.
The Israeli military frequently carries out airstrikes and other attacks on the Gaza Strip, saying the actions are being conducted for defensive purposes. However, disproportionate force is always used, in violation of international law, and civilians are often killed or injured.
Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.
The apartheid regime of Israel denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.
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