New Delhi: In a joint statement, the leaders of the United States, Germany, France, and Italy have strongly denounced the “appalling acts of terrorism” perpetrated by Hamas while reaffirming their unwavering and unified support for Israel.
“Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage,” said the statement by US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The leaders acknowledged the rightful aspirations of the Palestinian people, advocating for equitable measures of justice and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians.
However, the joint statement emphasised that Hamas does not align with these aspirations, providing nothing but further turmoil and violence for the Palestinian population.
“We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning against Hamas, saying that though Israel did not start the war, it would finish it. Earlier, Netanyahu had declared war against Hamas after the rocket attacks and infiltration by Hamas militants in Israel on Saturday.
The ongoing conflict has tragically claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, with a devastating toll of more than 700 Israelis losing their lives in the initial attack. Additionally, Israeli airstrikes launched in response to the events of Saturday morning have resulted in the deaths of over 400 individuals in Gaza.