Israel attack: World leaders condemn surprise attack by Hamas, urge restraint as death toll reaches 22

At least 22 Israelis have been killed and over 545 wounded after the Palestinian armed group Hamas launched more than 5,000 rockets towards Israel on Saturday. The death toll is expected to rise.

World leaders strongly condemned the surprise attack and called for an immediate stop to the violence.

The European Union expressed its solidarity with Israel and said it “unequivocally” condemned the attacks.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, "We follow with anguish the news coming from #Israel. We unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas. This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments."

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against Israel.

"I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks which are currently hitting Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them," Macron wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday said that he was shocked by the attacks on Israel by "Hamas terrorists", adding that Israel had an absolute right to defend itself.

"I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice," Sunak wrote on X today.

Egypt warned of "grave consequences" from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in a statement from the foreign ministry carried by the state news agency on Saturday. It called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger", Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan 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, as per Reuters. "They must refrain from aggressive acts," he said.

Spain's acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on social media platform X on Saturday condemned attacks from Gaza against Israel. "We strongly condemn the very serious terrorist attacks from Gaza against Israel."

"Overwhelmed by this indiscriminate violence. All our solidarity (is) with the victims. Spain is firmly committed to peace, security and stability in the region," he said.

Air raid sirens were sounded across Israel, including Jerusalem. Mohammad Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the operation. He urged the Palestinians to fight "against the last occupation on Earth".

Notably, the rocket attacks, which came without warnings, came as Israel was observing a Jewish holiday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "was at war" and said the "enemy" Hamas would "pay a price" for launching an attack on his country.

The Israeli Air Force launched a counteroffensive 'Operation Iron Swords' in the Gaza Strip after the Palestinian armed group launched a barrage of rocket attacks. The Israeli Air Force said dozens of fighter jets were attacking targets of Hamas in several locations.

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