Last year’s bombings ended following a Qatar and Egypt-brokered ceasefire.

Israel launched new air strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip on Friday, killing more than five people including a five-year-old girl.

The air strikes targeted a residential building in the middle of the city. Taysir al-Jabari, a commander of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad, was also killed in the attack.

In a statement on Friday, Qatar’s foreign ministry called on the international community to take urgent action to stop Israeli aggression.

“We stress the need for the international community to move urgently to stop the repeated attacks by the occupation against civilians, and we affirm our firm position on the justice of the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” a statement said.

Initial figures suggest more than 40 people have so far been wounded in the air raids that targeted the besieged enclave, which is still struggle from last year’s deadly 11-day bombardment.

Khan Younis and Rafah were among areas struck in the latest offensive.

Social media users in Qatar and the region have used the hashtag #GazaUnderAttack to highlight Israel’s ongoing and repeated crimes against Palestinians.

“Oh God, be with them and do not be against them,” tweeted Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Director General of Qatar News Agency (QNA).

Meanwhile, some have pointed to a recent and controversial wave of normalisation in the region that has seen the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan establish ties with Israel despite widespread Palestinian opposition to the move.

“Unfortunately, the normalisation and betrayal of the Arab countries towards the first issue of Muslims is the one who supports the bombing of Gaza,” said one Qatar-based Twitter user.

Despite Palestinian civilians and their children being confirmed as victims of the latest strikes, the Zionist state maintains that it only intended to target the Islamic Jihad operatives, as Axios reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Defence Minister Benny Gantz said the strikes were meant to “remove a concrete threat against Israeli civilians.”

Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad’s leader, Zyad Nekhale threatened retaliation as Hamas said it will ensure that Israel “pays the price” for the crimes.

According to Axios, Qatari officials, Egyptian intelligence, and UN diplomats held dialogue with Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and Israel to avoid a potential escalation.

This week, Israel closed roads surrounding Gaza following the arrest of an Islamic Jihad member in the West Bank on Monday.

The Zionist state has long used the fight against Hamas as the pretext for its attacks on defenceless civilians in Gaza. This was seen last year in May when it launched a brutal 11-day bombardment of the city, despite global uproar.

At least 260 Palestinians were killed in that offensive, including 66 children.

The bombing ended following a Qatar and Egypt-brokered ceasefire. To date, the besieged city has yet to recover from the damage caused by air raids that levelled residential buildings, offices and crucial health facilities.