MANAMA: Bahrain is stepping up its support for Palestinians suffering under a major Israeli offensive.

It will send a second consignment of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in a matter of days, it was announced.

The announcement was made even as the UN relief agency started distributing the first consignment, which reached yesterday.

Part of it was allocated to a hospital, funded by Bahrain, in Khan Younis, which is playing a crucial role in treating Palestinians injured in Israel’s relentless aerial bombardment, Royal Charity Organisation secretary general Dr Mustafa Al Sayed said.

More than 1,500 Palestinians, most of them civilians and women and children, have been killed in the more than three weeks of the offensive.

The carnage was yesterday described as a “collective massacre” by Saudi King Abdullah.

He said the world’s silence, including by human rights groups, on the Israeli “war crimes” was “inexcusable”.

King Abdullah pointed out that the violence has led to “various forms” of terrorism whether from groups, organisations or states.

A 72-hour ceasefire declared late Thursday night, meanwhile, collapsed within a few hours of its start early yesterday.