Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has called on Iran to recognise Israel, and Israel to recognise Palestine, calling for peace and restraint after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a major offensive against Israel.

“I can repeat what I said to the Iranian president, whom I met in New York, that it would be good, fair and logical for them to recognise Israel,” Milanovic told reporters on Sunday, adding that it would also be good for Israel to recognise the Palestinian state.

“But that will not happen, no matter what we say, no matter what support we provide today to either side, no matter whose flags we hang. For me, there is only room for one flag in this country, and that is the Croatian flag, and all others can only be lower, but not at the same level. Neither the EU nor NATO, let them be here, but it is not the same level, especially the flags of third countries,” added Milanovic.

The Croatian president said he hoped no Croats had been killed in Israel and condemned the killing of civilians.

“I call for peace and restraint because what we are seeing is terrible (…) We are not seeing that in Ukraine, we have not seen that for a single minute. Israel will retaliate in a more advanced way, even more people will be killed,” Milanovic said.

Iran, an ally of Hamas and an enemy of Israel and Saudi Arabia has congratulated Hamas on its “heroic offensive.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that “Israel is at war” and warned that it will be “a long and difficult war” against Hamas.