Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Ashtia demanded an end of the Israeli aggression on besieged Gaza Strip, which has killed 18 Palestinians and wounded scores. In a statement on Tuesday evening the Palestinian PM said "Israel should stop its crimes against the civilians immediately," calling on the UN and human rights organisations to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli violations, in both Gaza and the West Bank. The statement added that President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian cabinet are in communication with regional and international parties to stop the Israeli aggression. Ashtia said, "it should not be allowed for Israelis competing over elections to use the Palestinian blood as an electoral card." Israeli air strikes killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander and his wife while asleep at their home in Gaza city on Monday, prompting Palestinians to launch rocket attacks in Israel in retaliation. The Palestinian government held the Israeli occupation responsible for the consequences as a result of the deterioration in the situation in the Gaza Strip by targeting residents and their property. In Cairo the Arab League condemned on Wednesday the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. The League said in a statement that "this comes in the context of exposed Israeli attempts to let the Palestinian people pay the price of the predicaments and agendas of Israeli parties," the statement said. Two Palestinians were killed in Israeli air and missile strikes on Gaza early Wednesday, the territory's health ministry said, taking the death toll among Palestinians to 18. The Israeli military said more than 250 rockets have been fired at Israeli communities since the tension began. Rockets fired from Gaza reached as far north as Tel Aviv, with two Israelis wounded by sharpnel. Schools remained closed in Israel near the Gaza border and restrictions on public gatherings continued as rockets rained down.
