Bahrain joins UAE in condemning hostage-taking operation by Hamas

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed its "strong displeasure" over the kidnapping of Israeli civilians by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements in the Gaza Strip in a statement by the Gulf state, which normalized its relations with Israel in 2020.

Bahrain also issued a similar statement, expressing its "condemnation" of the hostage-taking operation.

The UAE and Bahrain signed an agreement to normalize relations with Israel in 2020 with the mediation of the United States. In a statement published late Sunday on its website, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "strong displeasure over the reports of civilians being kidnapped from their homes as hostages."

The Israeli army announced that it is working to rescue Israelis held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The government press office clarified that Hamas had kidnapped at least 100 people. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad confirmed that they had captured "many soldiers."

The UAE's Foreign Ministry considered Hamas' attacks "against Israeli cities and villages near the Gaza Strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at civilian areas, a dangerous and grave escalation." It stressed the "necessity for civilians on both sides to enjoy full protection."

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Monday that he has ordered a "complete blockade" of the Gaza Strip, which Hamas controls, following the unprecedented attack by the Islamic movement on Israel, which has resulted in over 1,100 casualties on both sides.

While the UAE's ministry called for diplomatic efforts to prevent a "wider regional confrontation," it emphasized that the international community must remain "firm in the face of these violent attempts that seek to disrupt regional efforts aimed at dialogue, cooperation, and coexistence."

The latest statement appears less neutral than the UAE's initial response to the ongoing war when the Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern over the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians," emphasizing the "need for de-escalation."

In Manama, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing the "Kingdom of Bahrain's condemnation of what was reported in some reports about the abduction of civilians from their homes as hostages," warning that "the attacks carried out by Hamas constitute a dangerous escalation threatening the lives of civilians."