President Lazarus Chakwera has expressed concern over the security of hundreds of Malawians in Israel amid escalating war between Israeli forces and Hamas.

“I am deeply concerned about the welfare of civilians there, including the safety of over 300 Malawians living in Israel,” Chakwera posted on Facebook.

He expressed support for Israel and condemned the attacks against unarmed civilians and the captivity of civilians by the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

The Malawi leader calls for the cessation of the Gaza violence, which has drawn global attention.

Hundreds of Palestinians are feared dead after a huge blast at a hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, blamed by Hamas on an Israeli air strike.

But Israel says the blast was caused by rockets misfired by another group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and both sides deny blame.

The Israel-Gaza war has divided African nations, as different countries take opposing sides.