South Africa to recall all diplomats from Israel: govt

Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza Strip, Nov. 6. Reuters-Yonhap

The South African government said on Monday it would recall all its diplomats from Israel to "signal" its concern over the situation in Gaza.

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the president's office, told a press briefing that all diplomatic staff in Tel Aviv would be asked back to Pretoria for consultations, without providing further details.

"We are... extremely concerned at the continued killing of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territories and we believe the nature of response by Israel has become one of collective punishment," Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor told a later press conference.

"We felt it important that we do signal the concern of South Africa while continuing to call for a comprehensive cessation (of hostilities)."

Fighting has raged in the Gaza Strip for about a month since Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack over the border from the territory into Israel on Oct. 7. (AFP)