Israel needs India's support, says envoy

As Israel reels under the massive attacks by Hamas militants, Israeli ambassador Naor Gilon to India has said his country will need very strong support from India as it is an influential country and knows the challenge of terrorism.

Describing the attacks by Hamas militants as totally unprovoked and unacceptable, Gilon said Israel will deal with the challenge on its own and punish the perpetrators. The attacks by Hamas militants from Gaza since Saturday killed more than 600 Israelis and injured over 2,000. Palestinian officials said retaliatory attacks by Israel left around 200 people dead in the Gaza Strip.

Talking to reporters, the Israeli envoy alleged that Iran has a hand in the attacks and suggested that the country supplied weapons to Hamas. "It's clear to us that Iran is involved with it. We know for sure about supplying of weapons and training," he alleged. Gilon said his country will need the very strong support of "our Indian friends" and that "India is a very influential country in the world, as a country that knows terrorism and understands the crisis." "It will be very important for us, to give us the ability to do what we need to do in order to make sure that Hamas will not be able to continue doing atrocities," he said.

Gilon said India's support to Israel at this time is based on a deep understanding of terrorism rather than ignorance.