Andrzej Duda made the statement in a television interview on Sunday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The president told private broadcaster Polsat News: “Based on information from the foreign ministry and the Polish military contingent in Lebanon, no Poles have been harmed in Hamas’ attacks on Israel so far.”
Poles told to 'cancel any trips to Israel'
Duda said there were currently hundreds of Poles in Israel’s West Bank area and urged compatriots “to cancel any trips to Israel … until the fighting stops and the attacks stop.”
The president told Polsat News that Polish diplomatic staff were taking “all measures” to locate Poles staying in the West Bank and help them return to Poland.
Duda wrote on the X social media platform: “Due to the situation in Israel and the whole Middle East region, we remain in constant contact with our key allies.”
The president added: “Our representatives at the United Nations and NATO are analysing the current situation.”
'Heartfelt sympathy in the face of brutal attacks on Israel': Polish FM
Poland’s top diplomat Zbigniew Rau said in a post on X on Sunday that he had spoken with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to express his "heartfelt sympathy in the face of the brutal attacks on Israel.”
Rau added: “I condemned the violence from the Gaza Strip and the appalling acts of terrorism against civilians. We discussed Israel’s actions to protect its citizens, and ways to restore calm.”
Rau also stated that Polish diplomatic and consular officials had been in touch with Poles staying in Israel from the beginning of the Hamas attacks, providing them with “information and necessary support.”
He added that later on Sunday Poland would send an aircraft to Tel Aviv, to evacuate all Poles from Israel, the PAP news agency reported.
Gov't sends planes to evacuate Poles from Israel
On Sunday night, Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak confirmed that Poland had sent three military planes with medical staff to evacuate Poles from Israel, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
Israeli ambassador thanks Poland for support
Israel’s ambassador to Poland, Yacov Livne, on Sunday thanked the Polish president, government and “friends of Israel in Poland” for support following the Hamas attacks, news outlets reported.
Fighting raged in Israel after Hamas on Saturday breached the border from Gaza in an unprecedented surprise attack, US broadcaster CNN reported.
Officials in Israel said the death toll had passed 700, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported on Sunday night.
Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza and formally declared war on Hamas on Sunday, CNN reported.
More than 400 Palestinians have died so far, according to the Palestinian authorities, IAR reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, CNN
