The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday said it was "deeply concerned" by the escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians, urging all relevant parties to remain "calm."

The recurrence of the conflict shows that "the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot last" and emphasizes the need for "implementing the two-state solution" and establishing an independent State of Palestine, the spokesperson said.

More than 200 Israelis died in a surprise large-scale attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday, the Israeli army said. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to reduce the group's Gaza hideouts to "rubble," with intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave killing at least 232 Palestinians, Gaza officials said.  

Speaking on Saturday, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "appalled" by reports that civilians have been attacked and abducted from their homes.

On the same day, in a phone call between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, the two foreign ministers highlighted the necessity for respecting the Palestinian people's rights while evaluating the latest developments in the Arab state.

According to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the Iranian foreign minister described the Hamas move as "a consequence of Israel's constant crimes against Palestine" and said the military operation was a "spontaneous move of Palestinians in defense of their inalienable and undeniable rights, as well as their natural reaction to the warmongering and provocative policies of Israel."

After a call with Netanyahu, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a written statement that he is ready to "offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel."

"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people – full stop," Biden said later in a televised speech. "This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

The two leaders have had strained relations but met in New York last month in a show of solidarity, Reuters said.

Soon after Biden's phone call with Netanyahu, Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas, criticized the "biased position" of the U.S., saying that "the hypocritical position of the U.S. is known to the world, and we do not count on it."

Earlier in the day, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said Sudan "renews its support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in their independent state." 

Also on Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held phone talks discussing regional and international efforts to contain the ongoing conflict.

"The call touched on consultation and coordination regarding efforts to stop the current escalation in the Gaza Strip between the Palestinians and Israelis," said the Egyptian presidency in a statement.

Slamming Israel's violent policies against the Palestinians as "a time bomb," Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit urged an immediate cease-fire.

(With input from agencies)