From condemnation to support: world reaction to Hamas strikes on Israel

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the United States would work to ensure that Israel “has what it needs to defend itself”.

“Over the coming days the Department of Defence will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism,” Austin said in a statement.

The United Nations

The United Nation’s High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an immediate halt to violence in Gaza after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in years.

Volker Tuerk said he was shocked by reports that hundreds of rockets had been fired towards Israel on Saturday and reports that Israeli civilians have been taken hostage.

“This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians,” Tuerk said in a statement. “Civilians must never be the target of attack.”

He called on Israel to take precautions to avoid civilian casualties as it responded to the attacks with air strikes into Gaza.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission

“I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks,” she posted on X.

Russia

Russia expresses its most serious concern at the sharp aggravation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

“We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to implement an immediate ceasefire, renounce violence, exercise the necessary restraint and establish, with the assistance of the international community, a negotiation process aimed at establishing a comprehensive, lasting and long-awaited peace in the Middle East,” she said in a statement.

Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday condemned what he called a “terrorist attack” on Israel.

“Anyone who resorts to terror commits a crime against the world. Whoever finances terror is committing a crime against the world,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

Zelenskiy added: “Israel’s right to self-defence is unquestionable.”

Iran

An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday congratulated Palestinian fighters for launching the biggest attack on Israel in years, the semi-official ISNA news site reported.

“We congratulate the Palestinian fighters,” it quoted Yahya Rahim Safavi as saying. “We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.”

Iran’s state television showed parliament members rising from their seats on Saturday to chant “Death to Israel” and “Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed.”

 Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry on Saturday called for an “immediate cessation of violence between Israeli and the Palestinians”, the state news agency reported.

It quoted a ministry statement which read: “We are following the unprecedented developments between a number of Palestinian factions and Israel occupation forces which has led to a high level of violence on a number of fronts”.

Qatar

Qatar’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday saying that Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people.

It said Qatar calls on both sides to exercise utmost restraint and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from using these events as an excuse to launch a disproportionate war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called on Israelis and Palestinians to act with restraint and refrain from hostile acts that could exacerbate the situation.

“We call for restraint from all parties,” Erdogan said at a congress for his ruling AK Party in Ankara. “They must refrain from aggressive acts,” he said.

Britain

Britain “unequivocally condemns” a surprise attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel on Saturday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

“The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel’s right to defend itself,” Cleverly said in a post on social media.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was shocked by the attacks.

Reuters