JOHANNESBURG - The Department of International Relations and Cooperation is calling for peace in Israel and Palestine.
This follows the latest conflict that has killed hundreds of people.
READ: Middle East | SA calling for restraint, peace between Israel and Palestine
The department says urgent intervention is needed to find a long-lasting solution in the recent devastating escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Dirco Director-General, Zane Dangor said, "While the scale of the attack is surprising, the fact that an attack has taken place is not that surprising given the events of the last year, the cruelty, the inhumanity, the violence against civilians, the repression all that accompanies an illegal occupation that has been taking place for close to five decades if not more has led many to believe that given the lack of accountability, and the lack of voice from Palestinians that some kind of counterattack would be imminent."
"We don't think that any form of violence, irrespective of the justification is in the interest of the Palestinians or Israelis at this stage and this is why we are calling for an immediate deescalation, an immediate ceasefire."