JOHANNESBURG

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday said his country is ready to help mediate the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

“South Africa stands ready to work with the international community and to share our experience in mediation and conflict resolution as we have done on the continent and around the world,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.

The South African leader “urged the international community to accelerate its support for an inclusive process towards a lasting and durable peace that produces a viable Palestinian State, existing in peace alongside Israel, within the 1967 internationally recognized borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Ramaphosa also extended condolences to all victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called for the immediate and unconditional opening of humanitarian corridors.

“Our thoughts are with all the victims’ families and loved ones during this perilous period of fighting. We remain gravely concerned at the devastating escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the atrocities committed against civilian populations,” he said.

Ramaphosa called for the immediate cessation of violence, saying: “It is vital that all those who require urgent humanitarian assistance are provided with the basic life-supporting necessities and that human suffering is ameliorated,”

In a dramatic escalation of Mideast tensions, Israeli forces have launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air, which Hamas said was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

In response to Hamas' actions, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.