KUALA LUMPUR: Egypt has condemned Israel's "dangerous escalation policy" over the past two days.
In a statement released today, its Foreign Ministry urged the United Nations Security Council and the international community to take responsibility, and halt this escalation in the Middle East.
It called on the Security Council and major powers to prevent the situation in the region from getting out of control, and to put an end to Israel's brinkmanship policy.
"Egypt considers this an escalation, and warns of the dangers of igniting a regional confrontation, with dire security consequences, such as assassinations, violations of territorial sovereignty, and fuelling further conflict in the region," the statement read.
It also said that the timing of this escalation, with the lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, had increased the complexity of the situation and showed the absence of Israeli political will to de-escalate the conflict.
"This also undermines the strenuous efforts by Egypt and its partners to stop the war in the Gaza Strip and put an end to the human suffering of the Palestinian people," it added.
Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, adding that an investigation is underway.
In a statement, Nasser Kanani, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, expressed condolences over "the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh to the proud nation of Palestine".