NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said "Israel does not stand alone," as the alliance pledged support to Israel during the second day of the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
Israel defense minister Yoav Gallant briefed his NATO counterparts via a video call "on the atrocities by Hamas perpetrated against Israeli civilians and the nationals of several NATO allies," NATO said in a press release.
Stoltenberg said the alliance condemned the terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms.
NATO allies "expressed solidarity with Israel, making clear that it has the right to defend itself with proportionality against these unjustifiable acts of terror" and called for Hamas to "immediately" release all hostages, the statement said.
"No nation or organization should seek to take advantage of the situation or to escalate it," it warned.
NATO defense ministers are meeting for talks at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, where they have discussed the situation in Israel as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier Thursday, Stoltenberg welcomed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and thanked him for strong leadership and support for the alliance, CNN reports.
