RAMALLAH, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided to cut short his visit to Kuwait and return home to follow up on the Israeli offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Abbas has been holding intensive contacts on all levels "to halt the Israeli onslaught on Gaza and protect the Palestinian people," Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah Central Committee, told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Abbas arrived in Kuwait on Monday on a scheduled two-day visit to the country.

The Palestinian government said in a press statement that Israel must be held accountable for its "assault on the Gaza Strip."

The government spokesman Yousef Al-Mahmoud accused Israel of bringing the region more risks and tensions through its escalation policy against the Palestinian people, in addition to "its pursuit of the Palestinians, killings, destruction, the siege and settlement activity."

Al-Mahmoud urged the international community to intervene to halt the escalation in Gaza.

A total of 11 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops and its bombing since Sunday night.