Children hold a sign during a rally in support of Palestinians in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, on Wednesday. AP

The 31st emergency meeting of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union began on Wednesday, chaired by Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) and President of the Union, to discuss the situation in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque, with the attendance of speakers of Arab parliaments.

At the start of the meeting, held virtually, Ghobash thanked the speakers for responding to the union’s call to hold the meeting and stressed the importance of the Palestinian cause for all Arabs and the necessity of reaching a fair settlement.

READ MORE

35 Palestinians killed in Gaza as violence escalates

Israeli air strikes kill more Palestinians

Turkey tells Israel to stop attacking Palestinians

UAE strongly condemns terror attack on Kabul school for girls

The meeting was attended by Hamad Ahmed Al Rahoumi, First Deputy to the Speaker of the FNC, Naema Abdulrahman Al Mansouri, Somaya Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Obaid Khalfan Al Salami and Dr Omar Abdulrahman Al Nuaimi, FNC Secretary-General, who are members of the FNC Parliamentary Division and the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union Group.

Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza on Wednesday and Palestinian group fired multiple rocket barrages at Tel Aviv and the southern city of Beersheba in the region's most intense hostilities in years.

At least 49 people have been killed in Gaza since violence escalated on Monday, according to the enclave's health ministry. Six people have been killed in Israel, medical officials said.
A combination picture shows a tower building before and after it was destroyed by Israeli air strikes. Reuters

In Gaza, a multi-storey residential building collapsed after Israel warned its occupants in advance to evacuate, and another was heavily damaged in the air strikes.

Israel said its warplanes had targeted and killed several of the Hamas's intelligence leaders. Other strikes hit what the military said were rocket launch sites, Hamas offices and the homes of Hamas leaders.

Calls grew on Wednesday for a de-escalation of violence after intense hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians. Calls for calm emerged from around the world, while others voiced support for the warring parties.

Lod and other mixed Arab-Jewish towns have been gripped by demonstrations over the Gaza violence and tensions in Jerusalem.

"Israel has gone crazy," said a man on a Gaza street, where people ran out of their homes as explosions rocked buildings.

Sixteen people were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza on Wednesday, Gaza's health ministry said. Witnesses and health officials in Gaza said one Israeli air strike killed three people, including a woman, in a car.

Agencies