Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he has spoken to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and both are agreed in their condemnation of attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli territory.
He says New Zealand is poised and ready to assist with any international humanitarian response.
"We'll see how things unfold, but we will be ready to participate in any kind of humanitarian response, and I've asked the minister of foreign affairs to make sure we're ready to do that."
Hipkins says there have been no reports of New Zealanders being caught up in the attacks.
Consular assistance is being offered to any Kiwis caught up in the conflict in Israel, the prime minister says, and an international law expert is warning the conflict will escalate.
Nearly 200 New Zealanders are registered in Israel or Palestinian Territories and those who may be near the fighting are being urged to leave.
At least one New Zealander has registered their presence in Palestinian territory with the government's Safe Travel website.
More than 35 hours after the unprecedented attack, more than 700 Israelis are known to have been killed in the fighting or from rocket strikes from Gaza, and more than 400 people have been killed in retaliatory air strikes by Israeli forces into Gaza. Thousands have been wounded on both sides, and both have confirmed that many Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas.
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