The World in Shock: Global Leaders React to Gaza's Attack in Southern Israel

As a new round of fighting breaks out between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinians of Gaza, leaders worldwide made their reactions known.

Geopolitical analysts say the new conflict was a step higher than the tensions faced by both parties during the Yom Kippur War exactly 50 years to the day of the attack.

Here are some of the statements key figures made, according to Reuters.

Concern and Condemnation

First to react was US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said in a statement that there was no justification for what he called terrorism. He also said the US would stand in solidarity with the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, who has since declared his country was in a state of war.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said his department would ensure that the US would supply Israel with all that they need to stave off Palestinian incursion and protect civilians from the horrors of war.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also released a statement saying his country strongly condemned the attacks against Israel.

As for the United Nations (UN), both Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk urge both warring parties to cease hostilities.

Saudi Arabia, which is currently strengthening its ties with Israel, pleaded for an immediate cessation of violence. Egypt, on the other hand, warned grave consequences would ensue if the conflict escalated - especially fears of more civilians being caught in the crossfire.

While Morocco's government is moving towards full diplomatic ties under the so-called "Abraham Accords" and expressed concern over the attacks, the Moroccan Islamist PJD party sided with the Palestinians, praising the Hamas attack as a "heroic" act.

Across Europe, leaders also condemned the Palestinian attack on southern Israel.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen "unequivocally" condemned the attacks Hamas carried out, further calling them terrorism in its most despicable form.

European Union top diplomat Josep Borrell condemned Hamas's use of Israeli civilians as hostages, adding that he would do everything in his power to secure their liberation. He is scheduled to meet with Arab foreign ministers in Muscat to discuss how to promote peace in the Middle East.

שוחחתי עם הנשיא הרצוג ועם ראש הממשלה נתניהו.

אני מגנה את מתקפות הטרור מעזה נגד ישראל, חייליה ואזרחיה.

צרפת ניצבת לצד ישראל והישראלים, דבקה בביטחונם ובזכותם להגן על עצמם.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 7, 2023

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Czech President Petr Pavel, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, and Spanish acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said their respective countries condemned the attacks and are supporting Israel in the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a secular Jew by background, resonated with Israel in the face of his own nation being at war with Russia, saying he condemned what he called a terror attack on Israel.

Quad leaders Anthony Albanese (Australia), Narendra Modi (India), and Fumio Kishida (Japan) also echoed the sentiments of their Western counterparts.

In Latin America, both Brazil and Argentina also condemned the attacks and expressed support for Israel.

Meanwhile, the Philippines - which has a significant number of expatriates in Israel and has been a close ally ever since its inception - said Sunday (October 8) they condemn Hamas's attacks, especially against civilians. The Malacañang added it was sending its condolences to the families of the people who died in the attacks.

In a separate statement, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said his department would "continue to look after the welfare" of its expatriate population in Israel.

Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed his country's Department of Migrant Workers to "locate and account for" all overseas Filipinos in Israel, as per Rappler.

As of writing, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv is still verifying if any Filipinos were captured by Palestinian fighters.

Jubilation and Hopes for Victory

Several Islamist states and organizations commended the Palestinians of Gaza for what could be described as a blitz over southern Israel.

Palestinian state media WAFA has quoted President Mahmoud Abbas saying that his people have the right to defend themselves against what he called the terrorist settlement of Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran has announced their official congratulations to the Palestinian fighters, as per the semi-official state media ISNA. Adviser to the Iranian Ayatollah, Yahya Rahim Safavi, added that they stand with the Palestinians until the "liberation" of both Palestine and Jerusalem.

In a separate statement, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani claimed that Palestinian fighters used the element of surprise and overwhelming numbers, among other tactics.

Iranian state television also showed members of parliament (MPs) chanting "Death to Israel."

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said it was in direct contact with Palestinian leaders and described the attacks as a decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those in the Arab world seeking normalization with Israel.

The Houthi rebels controlling Yemen's capital Sanaa also congratulated the Palestinians and expressed their support for what they called a "heroic" jihadist operation, The Times of Israel reported.

While not outrightly supporting the Palestinians and calling for both sides to show restraint, Qatar and Kuwait both said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence.

Other Reactions

Several nations that are more different in their stances or more ambiguous in terms of interest also reacted in the series of attacks.

The Chinese foreign ministry, for one, urged relevant parties to maintain a state of calm and exercise restraint. Beijing officials also urged Israel and Palestine to end hostilities to prevent more civilian casualties. The ministry further suggested the implementation of a two-state solution and establishing Palestine as a separate and independent nation.

The African Union's Moussa Faki Mahamat and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni expressed a similar sentiment, while Kenya insisted that Israel had the right to retaliate with what they were dealt with.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry called for restraint from all parties involved through a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Indonesia -the world's largest Muslim-majority nation - said it was very concerned about the escalation of conflicts in the eastern Mediterranean.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters that the Kremlin is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians, and Arab countries regarding the escalation.

The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni released a statement saying that her cabinet and other relevant officials have convened to assess the situation in Israel, as well as the effort to assure the security of the Jewish community in Italy.