The mortar barrage by Palestinian terrorists on southern Israel drew wide-spread condemnation on Tuesday, with multiple nations denouncing the unprovoked fire on civilians and asserting Israel's right to self-defense.
The United States called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council over the terrorist fire and a meeting has been set for Wednesday afternoon.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon called on the Security Council and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres to "strongly condemn Hamas and hold the terrorist organization accountable for these latest attacks."
He later said that "the fact that the Security Council is holding a session on Hamas' offensives against Israeli civilians is a positive step, but the members of the Security Council must also take firm action. They cannot suffice with words."
Danon further urged the powerful U.N. body to officially designate Hamas as a terrorist organization.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said Tuesday that the Security Council "should be outraged and respond" to the largest attack out of Gaza since 2014 "directed at innocent Israeli civilians. The Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they're allowing to happen in Gaza."
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said, "We are aware of numerous mortar attacks on Israel today [Tuesday] and are closely monitoring the situation. We call on those launching the attacks to cease this destructive violence. We fully support Israel's right to self-defense and to take action to prevent such provocations."
The French Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "France utterly condemns the [Palestinian] fire on [Israeli] civilian population. France is unconditionally committed to Israel's security."
Britain's Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt tweeted, "I condemn the rocket fire from Gaza into Israel today. Indiscriminate attacks against civilians, especially those that risk killing or injuring children, are completely unacceptable under any circumstances."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a similar condemnation.
"Israel has every right to defend itself against these deplorable attacks by the terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Our thoughts are with everyone affected today," he tweeted.
European Union Ambassador to Israel Emanuele Giaufret said, "As kids were preparing for school this morning, a barrage of rockets from Gaza fell on southern Israel. One landed outside a kindergarten. I know the resilience of communities in southern Israel but indiscriminate attacks are totally unacceptable and to be condemned unreservedly."
A spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini issued a statement saying, "The rocket and mortar fire by Palestinian militants from Gaza toward Israel must stop immediately.
"Indiscriminate attacks against civilians are completely unacceptable under any circumstances. A de-escalation of this dangerous situation is urgently needed to ensure that civilians' lives are protected. Israelis and Palestinians both have the right to live in peace, security and dignity: The cycle of violence and despair has to be broken with a genuine political process."
The United Nations' Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov tweeted, "It is UNACCEPTABLE to indiscriminately fire at civilian communities! I am deeply concerned by today's rockets fired by Palestinian militants towards Southern Israel, one of which hit close to a kindergarten. Such actions undermine efforts to improve the situation in Gaza."
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney tweeted, "I strongly condemn firing of rockets from Gaza at Israel today - I continue to advocate strongly for people of Gaza who live in impossible conditions - but this Hamas led violence undermines Palestinian cause [and] is counterproductive to political progress."
