CAIRO, May 9 (Xinhua) — The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip that have killed at least 13 Palestinians.

In a statement, the ministry reaffirmed “Egypt’s full rejection for the Israeli assaults that contradict the international laws.”

The ministry also denounced the Israelis’ escalation of tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories that include raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem and other Palestinian cities, which the ministry says will “ignite the situation in a way that undermines efforts to achieve calm and reduce tensions.”

On Tuesday, Israeli fighter jets and unmanned drones carried out simultaneous and surprising airstrikes against buildings and apartments that host senior military leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement in the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza-based Ministry of Health said in a press statement that 13 Palestinians were killed and more than 20 others injured in the Israeli airstrikes.