Israel-Gaza conflict escalates seriously, many countries speak out

Palestinians stand next to a damaged Israeli tank after it breached the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip on October 7.

CNN on October 7 quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that the country is in a state of war, when he spoke for the first time after Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip suddenly launched rockets and infiltrated many places in Israel that morning.

He summoned the heads of security agencies and ordered a response to the infiltrators, ordered an expanded mobilization of reservists and vowed an unprecedented response.

"We are at war and we will win," he said.

Emergency services in Israel say at least 22 people in the country have died and more than 250 have been injured, with the toll expected to rise.

The Israeli military said it had carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip, while witnesses reported large explosions and at least two deaths.

The attack was an unprecedented incursion by an unknown number of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip, one of the most serious escalations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in years.

Israel's Reshet 13 TV News reported that gunmen had taken Israeli hostages in the town of Ofakim and five Palestinian gunmen were killed in the town of Sderot. Reuters reported that Palestinian Islamists said they had captured several Israeli soldiers.

Israeli police said there were 21 clashes in the south of the country. In the Gaza Strip, many people rushed to buy necessities, fearing the coming days of conflict. Some people left their homes and went to shelters.

Mohammad Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, earlier announced the start of the campaign in a broadcast on the Islamist group's media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

Many countries speak out

In the face of the above situation, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk called on all parties to immediately stop the violence. "This attack is having a terrible impact on Israeli civilians. Civilians should never be targets of attack," he said.

He called on Israel to be cautious and avoid civilian casualties, as Israel responded with airstrikes in Gaza.

On the US side, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington condemned Hamas' attack and was in close contact with Israel.

Egypt's foreign ministry warned of "serious consequences" from escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, calling for "maximum restraint and to avoid further danger to civilians".

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said it was following the "unprecedented situation" and called for a halt to violence between Israel and Palestine.

Smoke rises in Gaza after Israeli air strikes in response

For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the "terrorist attacks against Israel". "I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and those close to them," he wrote on social network X.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also strongly condemned Hamas' attacks on Israel. "Violence and rocket attacks against innocent civilians must stop immediately. We stand in full solidarity with Israel and its right under international law to defend itself against terrorism," she said.

Writing on social media, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly condemned Hamas' attacks on Israeli civilians and said Britain always supported Israel's right to self-defense.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the Hamas attack, calling it "terrorism in its most despicable form".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for restraint. Dutch Foreign Minister Mark Rutte said he had just spoken by phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu and said the Netherlands condemned terrorist violence and supported Israel's right to self-defense.

On the Russian side, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Russia is in contact with Israel, Palestine and Arab countries about the incident.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist attack against Israel and supported its right to self-defense. Similarly, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau condemned Hamas' actions and called them unacceptable.

Many other countries such as the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Greece also protested against the violence against Israeli civilians.

Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, which is an enemy of Israel, issued a statement saying it was closely monitoring the situation in the Gaza Strip and was "in direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance".

The statement added that the incident was a "resolute response to the continued Israeli occupation, and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel".

Rahim Safavi, adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, welcomed Palestinian militants who launched the biggest attack on Israel in years, according to ISNA .

"We will stand with the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem," Safavi said.

Qatar said that only Israel was responsible for the escalation of violence, and called on both sides to exercise restraint.

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