<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit slammed on Saturday Israel's violent policies against the Palestinians as "a time bomb," calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Palestinian Gaza Strip that is currently witnessing deadly clashes between the two sides.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Israel's continued implementation of violent and extremist policies is a time bomb that deprives the region of any serious opportunities for stability in the foreseeable future," an AL statement quoted Aboul-Gheit as saying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to an update from the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes on the enclave earlier in the day killed 232 people and injured 1,697.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Israeli raids followed an earlier rocket attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) that controls Gaza. Israeli media outlets reported Saturday that the new round of conflict between the two sides left at least 150 Israelis dead.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Read: Biden decries the 'unconscionable' Hamas attack and warns Israel's enemies not to exploit the crisis</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hamas also held some Israeli officers and soldiers as hostages, as confirmed by the Israeli side.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday that Israel was "in a state of war," while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas emphasized the right of the Palestinians to defend themselves against Israeli troops and settlers. AP/UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>