Jordanian King Abdullah II on Friday strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone talk with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the king said that such an operation will not bring about security and stability to anyone, and only innocent Palestinian people, who are suffering every day, will pay for that.

The king called for ending cycle of violence and returning to the negotiating table, saying that negotiation is the only way to achieve peace in the region and solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

For his part, Abbas briefed the king on the situation in the Gaza Strip, while urging the international community to pressurize Israel to stop its aggression against the Palestinian people.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said on Friday that some 40 Palestinian militants had been killed since the army started a major ground operation in the Gaza Strip on June 28.

The Israeli army has expanded its ground operation in the strip to rescue an Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants on June 25 and stop Palestinian rocket firing.

Source: Xinhua