ATHENS

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis on Sunday said Israeli intervention in Gaza is "disproportionate".

In an exclusive interview with Vradini daily, Gerapetritis said: "We made it clear from the beginning that Israel has a right to self-defense within the limits of international law and especially humanitarian law.

"We made it clear that Hamas should not be identified with the Palestinian people. We asked for the immediate release of the hostages and additional protection of civilians and open humanitarian channels."

"Unfortunately, over time, the reality exceeded even the most negative expectations. We have a very high civilian death toll. It is, in my opinion, clear that there has been a disproportionate intervention in Gaza," he added.

Gerapetritis also stressed that two-state solution which includes, the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and on the borders before 1967 is key to sustainable peace in the region.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7 which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since last October while at least 78,755 others have also been injured in the Israeli onslaught.

Tel Aviv has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

More than seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.