South Africa on Wednesday blamed Israel for shelling a town in the Gaza Strip.

The country's deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad condemned Israeli shelling in the town of Beit Hanun in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning that left 18 Palestinians, including women and children, dead and more than 40 injured.

Pahad said an urgent action by the United Nations Security Council was needed because the situation is reaching a point of no return.

Pahad also said pressure should be brought to bear on those who fired home made rockets from the Palestinian territory into Israel.

Source: Xinhua