TEHRAN, Oct. 15 (MNA) – In a joint statement on Sunday, the leaders of the 27 countries of the European Union threw their support behind the Zionist regime's planned invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip in Palestine.

In a joint statement on Sunday, the leaders of the 27 countries of the European Union threw their support behind the invasion of the Palestinian Gaza Strip and vowed their support for the alleged "Israel's right to defend itself," Euronews reported.

“We reaffirm the importance of providing emergency humanitarian assistance and stand ready to continue supporting civilians most in need in Gaza, in coordination with our partners... It is essential to prevent regional escalation,” they further claimed.

Some European countries have taken action to prevent pro-Palestinian rallies in European cities. 

Israel's invasion of Gaza 'could lead to genocide': Arab League, African Union

The ground offensive that the Israeli army have been promising against the Gaza Strip "could lead to a genocide of unprecedented proportions", the heads of the Arab League and the African Union Commission have warned in Cairo, the Euronews report added.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Moussa Faki also called on “the United Nations and the international community to stop a catastrophe”. 

Israeli regime forces launched a sustained and forceful military attack against the Gaza Strip in response to a military operation last Saturday by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israel dubbed Al-Aqsa Storm Operation. 

In its latest updated figures released by the Zionist regime's army on Sunday morning, it said that the number of soldiers killed during the Palestinian operation increased to 286.

Meanwhile, the occupying regime's prime minister's office said on Sunday afternoon that a total of 1,400 people were killed and more than 3,500 others (soldiers and settlers) were injured as a result of Hamas attacks on occupied territories.

MNA