UNSC to hold emergency meet to discuss escalation across Gaza Strip

United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency closed-door meeting on Monday to discuss the latest escalation between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip, media reports said citing a statement by the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour.

This comes as airstrikes were carried out across the Gaza Strip under Israel's operation Breaking Dawn against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Among the nations who initiated the meeting is UAE, a UNSC member. Moreover, in a statement UAE Foreign Ministry strategic communications director Afra Mahash al-Hameli said apart from UAE, China (the current chair of the council for the month of August), France, Ireland and Norway have requested for the meet, reported the Times of Israel.

"The United Arab Emirates has emphasized the need to restore calm to the Gaza Strip, reduce escalation, and preserve civilian lives," she said, adding that Abu Dhabi, "expresses its deep concern over the current escalation and calls for exercising maximum restraint, to prevent being drawn into new levels of violence and instability."

During the Monday meeting, Security Council members will discuss "the current developments and ways to support international efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace," the senior Emirati official said.

Earlier in a statement, the Prime Minister Yair Lapid's office of Israel informed that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip on August 5.

"The goal of this operation is the elimination of a concrete threat against the citizens of Israel and the civilians living adjacent to the Gaza Strip, as well as the targeting of terrorists and their sponsors. The IDF is acting in operational coordination with the ISA and intelligence bodies," the statement said.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the Israeli government will not allow terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to set the agenda in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip and threaten the citizens of the State of Israel. "Anyone who tries to harm Israel should know: we will find you."

"The security forces will act against Islamic Jihad terrorists to eliminate the threat they pose to the citizens of Israel," he added.

Adding to what Lapid said, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated the goal is to protect the State of Israel and the citizens of Israel and they will not allow anyone to threaten or harm the citizens of Israel. "Whoever tries to do so - will get hurt.