President Joe Biden recently had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he offered his support to Israel following a deadly attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

In a statement, Biden said, “I made it clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we are ready to provide any necessary support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified, and Israel has the right to defend itself and its citizens.”

Netanyahu had declared his country to be “at war” after the surprise attack by Palestinian militants, which has escalated the longstanding conflict in the region. According to Israel’s emergency services organization, Magen David Adom, around 70 people have been killed in Israel, with hundreds more injured.

In response, Israel launched a counterattack on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of approximately 200 Palestinians, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Biden emphasized that his administration’s support for Israel is unwavering and stated that he will maintain close communication with Netanyahu as the situation unfolds.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated that during the phone call, Netanyahu emphasized the necessity of a forceful and prolonged campaign, which Israel will ultimately win.

Biden is joined by other world leaders who express solidarity with Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte both conveyed full support for Israel’s right to self-defense in their conversations with Netanyahu. The Council of the European Union also issued a statement backing Israel and calling for lasting peace in the region.

In a separate statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attacks by Hamas and expressed solidarity with Israel. He posted on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), “We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.”