Ceasefire Call Amidst Condemnation: World Reacts to Hamas Offensive and Israeli Airstrikes

India and Argentina outliers in BRICS. While the US and Europe came out in support of Israel, some Arab countries and Iran have blamed Israel for provocation. Many countries around the world, including Russia and Brazil, have condemned the violence and called for restraint and a ceasefire.

New Delhi: The massive onslaught by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel with missiles has triggered strong reactions in most parts of the world. Hamas’s offensive has killed over 250 Israelis, with a similar number of Palestinians killed in Gaza in Israel’s response.

While the US and Europe came out in support of Israel, some Arab countries and Iran have blamed Israel for provocation. Many countries around the world, including Russia and Brazil, have condemned the violence and called for restraint and a ceasefire.

India: Modi stands in solidarity with Israel

India’s only official response was issued by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed “solidarity with Israel” through his official account on X. Though the tweet came after the effects of Israel’s response on Palestinian civilian lives and infrastructure was widely known, the PM did not call for restraint – a standard ingredient of Indian statements about violence in the region in 2008, 2014 and 2021. The UN Security Council was slated to discuss the war on Sunday.

The opposition Congress went one step further and condemned the attacks on Israelis, without naming Hamas.

“The Indian National Congress condemns the brutal attacks on the people of Israel,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, adding: “The Indian National Congress has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security interests of the Israeli people. Violence of any type never provides a solution and must stop.”

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemned what it said were “these attacks and counter attacks between Hamas and the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip of Palestine.” Calling for an end to this confrontation, it noted in a statement emailed to the media that the Netanyahu government in Israel “has been indiscriminately occupying Palestine lands and establishing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. So far this year, prior to this conflict, 248 Palestinian lives have been lost including 40 children.”

United States: Condemns Hamas, promises full support to Israel

Starting from the US president, there has been a major show of support for Israel in the United States. In a statement, President Joe Biden said that the US was “ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel”.

He spoke with the Israeli prime minister, with whom he has had a frosty relationship. Stating that Israel has a right to defend itself, the statement said, “The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation.  My Administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering.”

Later, he delivered brief remarks on the subject, describing the attack by Hamas as “unconscionable” and pledged to ensure that Israel has “what it needs to defend itself”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken posted on social media platform X that the United States would “stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks”. “We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel,” he wrote.

Joint statement from US and allies

On Monday, October 9, the US, the UK , Germany, France and Italy issued a joint statement reiterating their “steadfast and united support for the State of Israel” and “unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its reprehensible acts of terrorism”.

Stating that Hamas did not represent the aspirations of the Palestinian people, the joint statement said that the five leaders would ensure “Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region”.

Japan and Canada, the two other G7 nations, were absent from the joint statement.

Japan takes measured stand

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Sunday on X (formerly Twitter) that Japan “strongly condemns the attacks which severely harmed innocent civilians”, adding that “Japan is deeply concerned about a number of casualties in Gaza as well” and urged “all the parties” to “exercise maximum restraint.”

Japan’s foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa on Monday condemned the attacks and kidnappings by Hamas gunmen, again adding, “Japan is deeply concerned about a number of casualties caused by the attacks by the Israeli side.”

Russia: Calls for immediate ceasefire by both sides, resumption of peace process

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the current escalation was a “another extremely dangerous manifestation of a vicious circle of violence resulting from chronic failure to comply with the corresponding resolutions of the UN and its Security Council and the blocking by the West of the work of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators made up of Russia, the United States, the EU and the UN”.

Russia also called on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to declare an immediate ceasefire, renounce violence and come back to the table for restarting the peace process.

Calling itself “gravely concerned”, Russia asserted that the conflict cannot be resolved by force and has to be settled exclusively by political and diplomatic means.

China: Expresses concern over violence, calls for restraint and immediate end to hostilities

The Chinese reaction came on Sunday morning, 24 hours after the violence began:

“China is deeply concerned over the current escalation of tensions and violence between Palestine and Israel,” its foreign ministry spokesperson said in response to a question. “We call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation.”

The Chinese spokesman also spoke about the background of the recent Hamas offensive, blaming the impasse in the peace process:

“The recurrence of the conflict shows once again that the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot go on. The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine. The international community needs to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestine question, facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and find a way to bring about enduring peace. China will continue to work relentlessly with the international community towards that end.”

Saudi Arabia: Seeks halt to violence by both sides, blames Israeli occupation

The Saudi foreign ministry stated that it was closely following 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”.

It called for an immediate halt of the violence by both sides and the protection of civilians.

The statement also blamed the situation on the “continued occupation” by Israel, “the deprivation” of the rights of Palestinians and the repetition of “systematic provocations against its sanctities”.

Saudi Arabia’s response is important as the US has been pushing the Kingdom to formally normalise ties with Israel, which had been seen as a diplomatic priority for the Biden administration. Saudi Arabia and Israel are also key to the US plans for an India-Europe trade corridor.

Iran: Welcomes Hamas attack

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani welcomed the Hamas attack against Israel by congratulating the Palestinian groups “on the successful operation of Al-Aqsa Storm”.

Speaking to the semi-official news agency ISNA, Kanaani said, “What happened today is in line with the continuation of the victories of the anti-Zionist resistance movement in various areas, including in Syria, Lebanon, and occupied territories.”

There have been some statements from Israeli officials blaming Iran for backing the attacks in order to slow down the Saudi-Israeli rapprochement.

United Arab Emirates: Seeks de-escalation, restraint

The UAE, which had signed the Abraham Accords with Israel in 2020, issued a statement which pointedly did not blame Tel Aviv for inciting the violence, unlike Saudi Arabia.

Expressing “grave concern”, the UAE called for the “need to de-escalate and preserve civilian lives, and offered sincere condolences to all victims of the recent hostilities”. It urged for the “exercise of maximum restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid serious repercussions”.

As a serving UNSC non-permanent member, UAE called for “the immediate reactivating of the international Quartet to revive the path of Arab-Israeli peace”, and urged the international community to advance all efforts made to achieve comprehensive and just peace, and prevent the region from being dragged to “new levels of violence, tension and instability”.

Qatar: Israel ‘solely responsible’ for ongoing escalation due to violation of Palestian rights

The Gulf kingdom held Israel “solely responsible for the ongoing escalation due to its ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which was the repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli police”.

The statement from the Qatari foreign ministry called on “all parties to de-escalate, and exercise maximum restraint”.

Qatar, which has always opposed normalising ties with Israel, stated that the international community needed to “urgently compel Israel to stop its flagrant violations of international law, respect the resolutions of international legitimacy and the historical rights of the Palestinian people, and to prevent these events from being used as a pretext to ignite a new asymmetric war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza”.

Jordan: Calls for cessation of violence, blames Israeli occupation

One of the first Arab countries to sign a peace deal with Israel, Jordan “warned of the serious repercussions of this escalation, which threatens to further destabilize the situation, particularly in light of the ongoing Israeli Occupation assaults and violations against the Palestinian people, their holy sites, and the deprivation of their rights in cities and areas of the West Bank”.

Calling for cessation of violence, the foreign ministry statement said that “the continued violence and escalation will have devastating consequences, affecting all”.

Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi warned of the “volatility” of the situation, “particularly in light of what cities and areas of the West Bank are witnessing of Israeli attacks and violations against the Palestinian people”.

Egypt: Calls for maximum restraint, protection of civilians

The Egyptian foreign ministry’s statement warned of “grave consequences” from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Cairo called for “exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger”. Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with Israel in 1979.

Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shukri was also in a series of phone conversations, ranging from the US secretary of state to the UAE foreign minister as world capitals communicated over the unprecedented events on Saturday.

Turkey: Calls for restraint

The Turkish foreign ministry called on “all parties” to exercise restraint at a conference for the ruling political party. “They must refrain from aggressive acts,” the statement said.

The Turkish foreign ministry also stated that “acts of violence and escalation linked to these benefit nobody”

“Turkey is always ready to provide any help it can to ensure that the developments in question do not escalate further and get taken under control without spreading to a wider region. In this regard, we continue our intensive contacts with the relevant parties,” said the statement.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan held calls on Saturday with his counterparts in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine and Egypt to discuss the ongoing fighting.

Pakistan: Condemns Israel

Pakistan, which has a caretaker government and does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, spoke on Sunday morning through its president, Arif Alvi:

“Progress towards peace cannot materialise without condemnation of usurpation & brutalisation of Palestinian rights & people by Israel,” he said in a tweet. “Continuous annexation of land, illegal settlements, disproportionate reactions & killings. The result is no hope & no progress towards peace. Time has come to move forward in line with UN resolutions. International community can play a big role today towards world peace.”

Indonesia: ‘Israeli occupation is root of the conflict, must be resolved’

“Indonesia is deeply concerned with the escalation of conflict between Palestine and Israel. Indonesia urges the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties,” said a statement by Indonesia’s foreign ministry.

“The root of the conflict, namely the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, must be resolved, in accordance with the parameters agreed upon by the UN,” the statement said.

Indonesia has been a consistent supporter of Palestine and says it has no interest in opening diplomatic ties with Israel.

South Africa: Calls for ceasefire, condemns illegal occupation of Palestinian land

South Africa calls for the immediate cessation of violence, restraint, and peace between Israel and Palestine, said the country’s foreign ministry in a statement. The statement did not condemn Hamas or express solidarity with Israel but instead focused on the immediate trigger for the Palestinian offensive:

“South Africa expresses its grave concern over the recent devastating escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The new conflagration has arisen from the continued illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa mosque and Christian holy sites, and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people. The region is in desperate need of a credible peace process that delivers on the calls of a plethora of previous UN resolutions for a two-state solution and a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine.”

The break out of renewed violence in Israel-Palestine is regrettable,” said President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.  “Why don’t the two sides implement the two States’ Solution? To be condemned, in particular, is the practice of targeting civilians and non-combatants by the belligerents.”

African Union: ‘Denial of fundamental rights to Palestinians is cause of permanent tensions’

The African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed concern at the outbreak of violence and the consequences it will have on civilians. He said that the “denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly that of an independent and sovereign State, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli-Palestinian tension”.

He added:

“The Chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an end to military hostilities and to return, without conditions, to the negotiating table to implement the principle of two States living side by side, to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people.

The Chairperson further calls on the international community, and the major world powers in particular, to as- sume their responsibilities to impose peace and guarantee the rights of the two peoples.”

Brazil: Condemns attack on Israel, calls for ceasefire, two-state solution

According to Reuters, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that his country had called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Brazil, a non-permanent member, assumed the rotating presidency of the Council in October.

A statement from Brazil’s foreign ministry condemned the attack in Israel from the Gaza Strip stating that “there was no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians”.

Calling on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint”, Brazil reiterated “its commitment to the two-state solution, with Palestine and Israel living together in peace and security, within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders”.

Argentina: Condemns Hamas, offers aid to Israel

Argentina, which recently joined BRICS, has condemned Hamas for the attack on Israel. In a series of tweets, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said:

“I express my strong condemnation and repudiation of the brutal terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas from the Gaza Strip against the State of Israel. May the people of Israel receive all the solidarity of this president and the Argentine people.”

“I contacted the president of Israel by telephone and conveyed to him the solidarity of the people and the Government of Argentina. We strongly repudiate the atrocious attack that Hamas perpetrated against the Israeli people in the south of their country.”

“Once again, we ratify Argentina’s commitment to peace and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. I have arranged for the immediate sending of humanitarian aid to Israel to accompany them in this difficult time.”

Europe: Universal condemnation of Hamas, support for Israel

The head of the European Union’s executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X on Saturday that she condemned the attack “unequivocally”. “It is terrorism in its most despicable form.”

A statement issued by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union condemned “in the strongest possible terms the multiple and indiscriminate attacks across Israel by Hamas and deeply deplores the loss of lives”.

It called for an immediate cessation of the “senseless attacks” which it said “will only further increase tensions on the ground and seriously undermine Palestinian people’s aspirations for peace”.

In line with the US, the EU stated that Israel “has the right to defend itself in line with international law, in the face of such violent and indiscriminate attacks”.

“The EU recalls the importance of working towards a lasting and sustainable peace through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process,” it added.

German President Olaf Scholz tweeted that he was “deeply shocked” at the violence. “Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel,” he wrote.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asserted that Israel has “an absolute right to defend itself”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he spoke with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Farah al-Siri and Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati about the attacks.

“The President expressed his concerns over the situation and reminded each of them of the importance of condemning unequivocally the terrorist attacks against Israel, its soldiers and its people,” said a statement from Macron’s office.

Note: India is not currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, as was incorrectly stated in an earlier version of this story. India’s term ended on December 31, 2022.

Note: This article was first published at 10:48 pm on October 8, 2023 and republished at 7 pm on October 9, 2023.