The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates considered that the ongoing killings committed by Israel in Gaza for more than ten months are taking place in full view of the United States of America and Western countries. It said in a statement: 'The number of Palestinian martyrs to-date is close to 40,000 martyrs who died under the rubble of their homes and in the streets and camps that Israel forced them to go to.' It thus urged "the so-called international community not to remain silent about Israel's escalation of its massacres," stressing the necessity of having it commit to international law. Source: National news agency - Lebanon