Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemns Hamas attack on Israel

Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and has been classified as a terrorist organisation by Australia since 2001, launched a multi-front attack on Israel on Saturday that included missile strikes and fighter incursions.

Israeli media reported at least 200 Israelis were killed while Gazan health officials said more than 230 Palestinians were killed in Israel's retaliatory air strikes on Gaza City.

"This is an abhorrent attack on Israel," the Australian Prime Minister told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday morning.

"This is indiscriminate. Civilians being targeted, killed and murdered and, as well, many of them being taken as hostages.

"This is a dreadful circumstance that people didn't see coming, wasn't foreshadowed, a shock attack."

Mr Albanese said he had spoken to Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon on Sunday morning, who was currently in Israel.

"He, of course, was very shaken, as you would expect. And this this action is ongoing, it must stop.

"Israel has a right to defend itself, which is what it's doing."

The Prime Minister said the advice he had as of Sunday morning was that all Australians in the area were safe.

"There are of course, ADF personnel as well - Australian Defence Force personnel - in the region.

"The advice as of this morning is that no Australians are caught up [in the conflict] but of course, it's incomplete advice.

"This has been a very dark 24 hours."

with AAP

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