Met BJP leaders to brief them about situation in Middle East: Israel Deputy Ambassador

Israel Deputy Ambassador Yahel Vilan on Friday said the purpose behind meeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers was to brief India about the situation in the Middle East for a better understanding.

"The purpose was to brief India about France and also to let them know what we are doing around the world. Also, to make them understand the situation in the Middle East in a better way. I met BJP leaders to brief them about the situation," said Vilan.

"Have been under fire from Hamas for a couple of days and we have showed restrain before retaliating to protect our citizens. Israel is under fire. Civilian have no contacts. We will retaliate back to protect out civilians. We are trying to secure our population," he added.

Israel has launched a ground offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The statement issued by the office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the military has been instructed to begin the ground offensive in Gaza.

Gaza residents have reported heavy artillery and naval shelling and helicopter fire along the border with Israel.

On Thursday night, loud thuds and flashes of orange light lit the sky in the eastern Gaza strip as Israeli gunboats fired shells and tracer fire, while artillery and helicopters fired over the border.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his regret over Israel rejecting his appeal for doing more to spare the lives of Palestinian civilians.

He said that war was no solution to ending the ongoing conflict.