Qatar on Friday urged swift international action to stop violence in the Gaza Strip after renewed Israeli bombardment of the territory at the end of a truce which the Gulf emirate mediated.

The Qatari foreign ministry, in a statement, said it stresses that continued bombing at the end of the pause 'complicates mediation efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip, and- calls on the international community to move quickly to stop the violence.' It added 'its condemnation of all forms of targeting civilians, the practice of collective punishment, and attempts to forcibly displace and displace citizens of the besieged Gaza Strip, and its demand for an immediate ceasefire.' Qatar has been engaged in intense negotiations, with support from Egypt and the United States, to repeatedly prolong a truce in Gaza that had lasted a total of seven days after two extensions.