Mexico has condemned Tel Aviv's "excessive use of force" in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the death of 666 people in twelve days.

Israel continued its assault on the coastal strip on Wednesday, striking heavily populated areas with artillery shells and air missiles.

Palestinians inside the strip have responded by firing four Qassam rockets into Israel, hitting areas near Ashdod and an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council region.

"Mexico condemns the excessive use of force associated with the Israeli army operation in Gaza, " a statement from the Mexican Foreign Ministry said late Tuesday.

It also condemned "the continued launching of mortars into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip".

Latin American countries have largely condemned Israel over its launch of 'Operation Cast Lead' on Gaza on December 27.

Immediately after Israeli warplanes attacked the strip, Cuba called the offensive an "act of genocide" and a "criminal military operation, the bloodiest one executed by Israel against the Palestinian people."

Three day later, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry slammed the attacks as "crimes" that "represent a severe and massive violation of the International Humanitarian Law."

The governments of Chile, Nicaragua and Peru have also officially condemned the bombardments.

The Rio group, established in 1968 to promote Latin American integration, last week called for a halt to the Israeli aggression in the Gaza strip, calling on both sides to settle their dispute through negotiations.

According to Tel Aviv, the war on Gaza is aimed at ending rocket attacks against Israeli settlers, toppling Hamas and preventing the resistance group from rearming.

Hamas, however, demands a cessation of Israeli attacks and the opening of the Gaza border -- which has been closed due to the 18-month blockade imposed on the strip by Tel Aviv.

So far the Israeli aggression has killed over 660 Palestinians, half of whom are women and children. More than 2,950 others have been wounded and many are feared to be under the rubble.

MT/AA