ISLAMABAD, May 25: Pakistan on Friday censured the escalation in Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian civilians in Gaza and urged the international community to step in to restore peace in the Palestinian territories.

“Pakistan calls upon all sides to eschew violence and urges the international community to help restore peace in the Palestinian territories, so as to encourage renewed efforts aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process for the resolution of the Palestinian issue,” the Foreign Office said in a statement issued here.

Deploring the indiscriminate Israeli attacks and arrests of a number of Palestinian office bearers including parliamentarians, it noted: “The recent killings of a number of innocent Palestinian civilians in indiscriminate Israeli attacks on Gaza city have caused deep anguish in Pakistan,” adding: “A further matter of grave concern for the Government and people of Pakistan is the arrest of a large number of Palestinian office bearers, among them the education minister, several parliamentarians and mayors.”

The statement said: “Pakistan deplores the violence and arbitrary arrests and actions by the Israeli authorities against the Palestinians.”—Q.A.