Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was deeply shocked by the terrorist attacks in Israel and offered prayers for innocent victims and their families. “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” he tweeted.
“We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism,” said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told TASS news agency that Moscow is in contact with Israel, Palestine, and Arab countries and called on all parties involved in the conflict to cease fire. “This is a relapse of a 75-year-old conflict. Moscow is in contact with all parties, including the Arab states. We call for an immediate ceasefire and peace,” he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Ukraine’s foreign ministry also condemned the attacks and expressed solidarity with Israel.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Ambassador to Israel Kanta Rijal said that seven Nepali students in Harzliya under the “Learn and Earn” program of the Israeli government have been injured and taken hostage in the ongoing situation.
“They have been held in captivity by Hamas forces along with an additional 10 Nepali students at the agricultural farm in Southern Israel’s Alumim,” he added. In his first public statement since the escalation of hostilities, Netanyahu said that the nation is “at war” and will extract an unprecedented price from its enemy.
“We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours,” Netanyahu said in a televised address.
Netanyahu further said the first priority was to “cleanse the area” of enemy infiltrators, then to “exact a huge price from the enemy,” and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.
