QPR footballer Joey Barton has laid the blame of mounting deaths in Gaza firmly at the feet of organised religion.

The outspoken footballer has more than 2.6 million followers on Twitter and used the social media platform to highlight his views on the Middle East conflict.

Yesterday Israel intensified its 11-day campaign against Hamas by sending in tanks and troops after becoming increasingly exasperated with unrelenting rocket fire from Gaza on its cities, especially following Hamas's rejection of an Egyptian ceasefire plan earlier in the week.

Already today nearly 20 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed as troops clashed with militants in Gaza after Israel launched a ground operation aimed at destroying tunnels and halting rocket fire by the enclave's Hamas rulers.

Barton this morning tweeted his disgust at the latest developments, describing it as a “major blotch on humanity”.

Organised Religion has done very little besides indoctrinate peoples minds and take money from societies most vulnerable... — Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) July 18, 2014 Whats going on in the Middle East specifically in Northern Gaza is a major blotch on humanity... #fuckorganisedreligion — Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) July 18, 2014 Human beings would not do this to other human beings, if it were not for radical, religious beliefs... #Gaza #fuckorganisedreligion — Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) July 18, 2014

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