Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and Qatar have condemned Israel’s decision to cut electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip, urging the international community to take action, AFP reports.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry expressed “condemnation in the strongest terms of the Israeli occupation authorities’ use of collective punishment against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by cutting off electricity to the area”.

A Qatari statement said the wealthy Gulf state “strongly condemns the Israeli occupation’s act of cutting electricity to the Gaza Strip, considering it a blatant violation of international humanitarian law”.

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to “take urgent actions immediately”, while Qatar also urged “immediate action to provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people”.