In the midst of continued fighting, the United Arab Emirates has urged restraint in the Gaza Strip and a reduction in violence to protect civilians.

According to a statement from the official Emirates News Agency, a representative for the foreign ministry stated that the UAE “expresses its great worry over the current escalation and appeals for exercising maximum moderation, to prevent being drawn into new levels of violence and instability” (WAM).

The UAE has also submitted a request to hold a closed meeting with the UN Security Council to discuss ways to support international efforts to achieve peace.

China, France, Ireland, and Norway reportedly co-signed the request.

Neighboring Saudi Arabia also issued a statement on Saturday calling for calm.

Clashes erupted on Friday when Israel carried out a surprise missile attack on the Palestinian territory, killing a senior member of the Islamic Jihad group.

Cross-border missile attacks have been launched by both sides over the last few days, with at least 24 Palestinians including six children being killed.