The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a wide scale attack on Israel early Saturday, the largest attack in its conflict with the country in decades. Hamas militants invaded multiple Israeli towns and the group launched a mass of missiles into Israel, killing at least 250 people.
“We are at war,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. “Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war.”
“The enemy will pay an unprecedented price,” he added, promising that Israel would “return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.”
The attacks, nearly 50 years to the day after the 1973 Yom Kippur war, were met with shock and prompted widespread support for Israel from most world leaders and governments.
European and American leaders were quick to denounce the attacks, while governments in the Middle East often declined to explicitly back Israel in official comments while urging both sides to stop the violence.
United States
“The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians,” said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. “We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.”
United Kingdom
“I am shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X, formerly Twitter. “Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We’re in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.”
India
“Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. “We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Foreign Ministry called for an “immediate halt to the escalation” between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following the developments of the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence on several fronts there,” the ministry said in a statement.
Germany
“Terrifying news reaches us today from Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X. “Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel.”
France
“I strongly condemn the current terrorist attacks against Israel,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. “I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones.”
Turkey
“We call for restraint from all parties,” Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said at a political party meeting Saturday. “They must refrain from aggressive acts.”
Russia
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the conflict an “expected development” and denounced U.S. involvement in the region and American support of the Ukrainian military.
“Clashes between Hamas and Israel on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War come as an expected development. This is what Washington and its allies should be busy with,” Medvedev said on X. “The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades, with the US the key player in it.”
“But instead of actively working at Palestinian-Israeli settlement, these morons have interfered with us, and are providing the neo-Nazis with full-scale aid, pitting the two closely related peoples against each other. What can stop America’s manic obsession to incite conflicts all over the planet?”
Egypt
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned of “grave consequences” for an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, according to the state news agency, Reuters reported.
It called for “exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger.”
Qatar
The Qatari government blamed Israel for the violence while calling on both sides to halt attacks.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel alone responsible for the current escalation due to this ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the repeated raids on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under of the protection of Israeli police,” the ministry said in a statement.
Updated 4:02 p.m.