Germany on Monday expressed \'concern\' over the latest round of lethal violence between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and called on both sides to \'de-escalate\' in the conflict. Talking to the press in Berlin, German foreign ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke voiced \'concern over the outbreak of violence.\' He blamed the Palestinians for the escalating violence amid mounting international criticism over Israel\'s deadly raids on Gaza. Asked about Israel\'s ongoing target killings of Palestinians, Peschke refused to acknowledge the fact that the illegal Jewish state was engaged in such a practice. The Zionist regime has repeatedly faced strong criticism over its target killings of Palestinian officials in violation of international law. Peschke called on both parties to refrain from anything which would further complicate the Mideast peace talks. A die-hard ally of the Zionist regime, the German government had openly backed the brutal Zionist wars in Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza 2008/9. While Berlin has repeatedly criticized Israel\'s settlement policies in recent months, it has refused to exert any pressure on Tel Aviv on the issue. Germany has also kept silent on massive human rights violations inside Israel, including the torture of hundreds of Palestinian children and women.