Relevant parties in the escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas should restraint and negotiate to seek a way out of the ongoing hostilities that have killed over 1,100 people so far, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday.

Spokesperson of the foreign ministry Pham Thu Hang made the statement in reply to reporters’ questions regarding Vietnam’s response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict that has caused a lot of casualties to civilians.

“We call on relevant parties to exercise restraint, not take actions that complicate the situation, and soon resume negotiations to resolve disagreements through peaceful means, based on international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, thereby ensuring the safety and legitimate interests of civilians,” the spokesperson stressed.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas, the force controlling the Gaza Strip that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, broke out on the morning of October 7 (local time), not long after the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

The fighting has so far killed over 1,100 people from both sides, Reuters reported on Monday.

The bloody conflict also showed signs of spreading when Hezbollah forces in Lebanon attacked northern Israel to “show solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

The Israeli army responded to both Hamas and Hezbollah with air strikes, making the situation even worse.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged all possible diplomatic efforts to be made to avoid a wider conflict, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated.

“The Secretary General is deeply concerned for the civilian population and urges maximum restraint. Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times,” Reuters quoted Dujarric as saying.

Faced with this situation, the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel said it has assigned staff to maintain contact with representatives of Vietnamese communities in Israel and coordinated with local authorities to be ready for citizen protection when necessary.

Vietnamese citizens should strictly follow regulations of the local authorities, limit travel, avoid conflict areas, and not gather in large groups, the embassy advised.

The agency has also affirmed that Vietnamese citizens in Israel, including the local Vietnamese community, officials on business trips and travelers, have remained safe so far.

They may contact the Vietnamese Embassy at 972-50-818-6116, 972-52-727-4248 and 972-50-994-0889, or call the Consular Department’s citizen protection hotline at 84 981 84 84 84 for support when needed. 

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