In a statement on Sunday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said: "Egypt deplores the continued targeting of unarmed civilians in Gaza by Israel and the massacres being committed against them, including the targeting of civilian facilities such as residential areas, hospitals, and schools in the Strip."

The foreign ministry stressed: "There is no ethical or military justification for the high toll of civilian casualties, including women and children."

It also affirmed the need to activate international accountability mechanisms and end the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

It called for an immediate halt to Israel's targeting and terrorizing of civilians, as well as its violation of the most basic principles of international law and humanitarian law.

Egypt reiterated in the statement its call for the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, warning of the consequences of the international community's failure to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli aggression.

At least 87 Palestinian civilians were killed on Saturday and dozens wounded by Israeli strikes on an entire residential block in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Sunday in an updated toll.

The health ministry reported that the Israeli occupation carried out seven massacres in the strip in the past 24 hours.

It added that nearly 500 Palestinians - mostly women and children - were killed since the start of the most recent Israeli air and ground assault on Jabalia and other towns in the north of the strip 15 days ago.

The ministry said Israel killed at least 42,603 people in Gaza since 7 October 2023, mostly children and women.