TAIPEI (Taiwan News)— The foreign ministry said on Tuesday (Aug. 20) that it is in contact with the 266 Taiwanese living in Israel after an attack on Tel Aviv. 

Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in Tel Aviv on Sunday (Aug. 18), which killed one passerby as well as the bomber. The militant groups said they would resume "suicide bombing" in Israel as retribution for its ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has killed 40,000 Palestinians, per Gaza’s health ministry. 

Meanwhile, the most recent Israeli military strikes on Monday (Aug. 19) killed at least 30 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In addition, Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas’ political chief in Tehran and senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon on July 31. 

Amid fears of an all-out regional war, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday to negotiate a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Blinked said Israel has accepted the proposal. 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Chen Yong-bo (陳詠博), deputy director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of West Asia and Africa, said they maintain contact with the Taiwanese abroad and provide necessary assistance, per CNA. No Taiwanese have currently expressed a need for evacuation, Chen said.

According to Chen, 266 Taiwanese currently reside in Israel. This includes two short-term business travelers, 22 students, 93 Taiwanese who live in Israel due to marriage, and 149 dependents of Taiwanese who live in Israel due to marriage.

Taiwan’s representative office in Tel Aviv reminded overseas Taiwanese to pay attention to safety amid escalating tensions. Through a group communication network, the office keeps close contact with Taiwanese in Israel, it said.