CAIRO, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Tuesday Israel's on-going military operations in the Gaza Strip hampered Egypt's efforts to cool down the situation, the official MENA news agency reported.

   Gheit was quoted as saying that the Israeli operations, which have entered its seventh day on Tuesday with more than 70 Palestinians killed, also harmed Egypt's efforts to restore confidence between the Palestinians and Israelis.

   He criticised "continued international silence" towards theIsraeli raids, warning that this attitude sent Israel the wrong message that it had a green light to continue its operations.

   It also sends a message to the Palestinian people that the international community is abandoning its commitments to peace and security, Gheit added.

   The Egypt's top diplomat also said the Israeli military operations could result in a humanitarian tragedy and create more tension and instability in the occupied Palestinian territories,Israel and the entire region at large.

   On Monday, Gheit sent a "strongly-worded" message to his Israelicounterpart Silvan Shalom, expressing Egypt's deep concerns over the escalation of the Israeli aggressions in the Palestinian territories.

   Egypt, a major power in the Middle East, has been engaged inefforts to help the Palestinians reorganize their security forces.It is hosting the inter-Palestinian dialogue in a bid to prepare for an expected Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.  Enditem