The early morning Hamas offensive by air, land, and sea was met by Israeli air strikes on the blockaded coastal enclave, in the bloodiest escalation since May 2021.
Here is a roundup of reactions from the region:
EGYPT
The foreign ministry appealed to "both the Paleostinian and Israeli sides to exercise the utmost restraint", warning of the "dire danger of ongoing escalation".Cairo has historically been a key mediator in conflicts between the two sides.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry made a series of calls to regional and international leaders, including his Jordanian, UAE,
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell.
A foreign ministry statement said Shoukry sought to rally "international actors" to "intervene immediately".
SODDY ARABIA
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
"The Kingdom calls for an immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, protection of civilians, and self-control," a foreign ministry statement said.
Riyadh echoed statements by other regional states — including Kuwait, Iraq, QATAR
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, and Oman — that Saturday's attack was "a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Paleostinian people of their legitimate rights".
The violence comes amid growing speculation about the impending normalisation of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh and Washington held talks on certain Saudi conditions, according to people briefed on the meetings.
SYRIA
The foreign ministry called the Hamas operation an "honourable achievement that proves the only way for Paleostinians to obtain their legitimate rights is resistance in all its forms".
Syria also expressed its "support" for the Paleostinian people and the forces "fighting against Zionist terrorism".
IRAN
A senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...
expressed support for the attack, calling it a "proud operation".
"We support this operation," Yahya Rahim Safavi said, quoted by ISNA news agency.
Safavi backed the Paleostinian murderous Moslems "until the liberation of Paleostine and Jerusalem".
At a parliament session, politicians chanted "Down with Israel", "Down with America" and "Welcome Paleostine", according to a video published by the Tasnim news agency.
UAE
The United Arab Emirates called for "an immediate ceasefire" and "exercising the utmost restraint," state news agency WAM reported.
"The UAE has expressed its sincere condolences to all the victims of the recent crisis," a foreign ministry statement said, stressing the importance of protecting civilians.
Abu Dhabi normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-backed Abraham Accords, along with Bahrain and Morocco.
MOROCCO
"The Kingdom of Morocco expresses its deep concern at the deterioration of the situation and the outbreak of military action in the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about
oppressionand
disproportionate response...
Strip, and condemns attacks against civilians wherever they may be," a foreign ministry statement said.
ARAB LEAGUE
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for "an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza" and "the cycle of armed confrontation between the two sides".
He said, "Israel's continued implementation of
YEMEN
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
Iran's Houthi sock puppets
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is
God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the JewsThey like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him...
rebels who control the capital Sanaa said they supported "the heroic jihadist operation".
In a statement published on the website of the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency, the Iran-aligned group said the attack "revealed the weakness, fragility and impotence" of Israel.
It called the operation "a battle of dignity, pride, and defence".
