Israel’s embassy in Canberra releases statement
The Embassy of Israel in Canberra says the residents of Gaza are not Israel’s enemies, and their battle is with Hamas.
In a statement, the embassy said: “Hamas has initiated an unprecedented, unprovoked, combined attack on the citizens of Israel. Over 3,000 rockets have been launched by Hamas in Gaza toward Israel since 6:30am (Israel time). 20+ communities in southern Israel were invaded by Hamas terrorist operatives, who are still on the group rampaging and breaking into homes—massacring civilians. Israeli civilians and soldiers have been kidnapped and taken hostage into Gaza.
There are 200+ casualties and over 1,000 injured. Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens and will not shy from a broad operation in Gaza in order to end the aggression.
Hamas is the sovereign power in the Gaza Strip, standing behind this attack, and will bear the results and responsibility for the events. The residents of the Gaza Strip are not enemies of Israel, but the terrorist organizations that operate knowingly and deliberately from within densely populated areas and adjacent to humanitarian buildings and institutions make cynical use of them. Israel does and will continue to do everything in its capacity to prevent harm to civilians, whom Hamas is constantly using as human shields.”
