Surprise Hamas offensive | International reactions

(Paris) The United States, Europeans and many capitals around the world strongly condemned Hamas’ attacks against Israel on Saturday, with Berlin highlighting a risk of “major regional escalation”. Russia, for its part, called on both parties for restraint and a ceasefire, while its Iranian ally welcomed the Palestinian offensive. Here are the main reactions.

UNITED STATES

Joe Biden insisted on Saturday, in a very short and solemn speech at the White House, that the United States’ support for Israel was “set in stone and unshakeable”.

“Today, the people of Israel are under attack by a terrorist organization, Hamas. At this tragic moment, I want to tell him, the world and terrorists everywhere: the United States stands with Israel. We will never fail to support them,” added the American president.

The Pentagon said it would ensure Israel has “what it needs to defend itself.”

European Union

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen condemned attacks amounting to “terrorism in its most despicable form”, and considered that Israel had “the right to defend itself”.

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, denounced the “appalling” hostage-taking of civilians and called for their “immediate” release. He expressed the EU’s “solidarity” with Israel.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also castigated “indiscriminate attacks against Israel and its people […]inflicting terror and violence on innocent citizens.”

UN

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he condemned “in the strongest possible terms the attack this morning by Hamas on Israeli towns”. He urged the international community to “diplomatic efforts to avoid a widening of the conflagration” between Israel and Hamas.

The UN envoy for the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, condemned “abominable attacks” by Hamas against Israel and called for their “immediate” end, specifying that he was in contact with all parties to ask them in particular to “ protect civilians.”

Russia

Moscow was concerned about a “sudden worsening of the situation in the zone of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.

“We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides for an immediate ceasefire, to renounce violence and to show the necessary restraint,” Russian diplomatic spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Kremlin envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, said he was “in contact” with all parties concerned.

Iran

A military advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, welcomed the offensive: “We support this proud operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ and we are sure that the resistance front (movements close to the Iran opposed to Israel, Editor’s note) also supports it,” announced the general of the Revolutionary Guards, Yahya Rahim-Safavi, quoted by the ISNA agency.

Qatar

Qatar urged all parties to “exercise utmost restraint”. Its Foreign Ministry said it “holds Israel solely responsible for the current escalation due to its continued violations”, calling on the international community to “prevent these events from being used as a pretext to light the fire of a new unequal war against Palestinian civilians.”

Türkiye

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Israelis and Palestinians to “act reasonably” and “refrain from acting impulsively, which would increase tensions.”

Ukraine

“Israel’s right to defend itself is indisputable,” responded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is facing an invasion by the Russian army. “Terror is always a crime, not just against a country or specific victims, but against humanity as a whole,” he added.

Egypt

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in a statement “on both Palestinians and Israelis to exercise the utmost restraint” and warned of “the serious danger of the ongoing escalation”.

Brazil

“The Brazilian government condemns the series of shootings and attacks carried out today in Israel from the Gaza Strip,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, calling for “maximum restraint” from the parties to the conflict to “avoid escalation”.

The country, which currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, announced that it would convene “an emergency meeting of the organization”.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply shocked” by the attack, indicating that his country was “in solidarity with Israel”.

France

President Emmanuel Macron “strongly condemns the terrorist attacks currently hitting Israel,” and expressed his “full solidarity” with the victims.

Paris also “reaffirmed its absolute rejection of terrorism and its attachment to the security of Israel”.

United Kingdom

“There are no Hamas ‘fighters.’ There are no Hamas “militants”. They are terrorists,” declared the British Foreign Secretary, denouncing the “horrific attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians”.

For his part, the head of government Rishi Sunak underlined “the absolute right” of Israel “to defend itself”.

Germany

Berlin “strongly condemned the terrorist attacks coming from Gaza against Israel”, stressing the risk of “major regional escalation”.

Germany “strongly” advises against traveling to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Italy

The Italian government said it “supports Israel’s right to defend itself” against “the brutal attack taking place in Israel”.

Spain

Spain is “shocked” by the “indiscriminate violence” of the “terrorist” attacks launched by Hamas against Israel, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said.