Chennai: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today voiced India's strong condemnation of the Israeli strikes in Gaza and expressed the hope that international community will get together to restore peace and normalcy in the region.

In a first public statement on the ongoing strikes, he said India strongly condemned these incidents and regrets the loss of many innocent lives.

"It is our hope that the international community will come together to restore peace and normalcy," he said inaugurating the seventh edition of the three-day Pravasi Bhartiya Divas here.

He also declared India's "unstinted and unwavering support to the just cause of Palestinians".

The strikes have caused a lot of tensions in the region, where he said a number of Indian workers were living.

At least 660 Palestinians, including over 200 children and nearly 100 women, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its military offensive on December 27. Close to 3,000 others have been wounded in the attacks.
Source : PTI