(JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a condolence letter to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday following the deaths of two hostages in the terrorist siege on the Lindt Cafe in Sydney.

On Monday, Iranian jihadist Man Haron Monis entered the cafe with a gun and took the employees and patrons inside as hostages. He forced some of the 17 hostages to display a jihadist flag on the cafe’s window. Sixteen hours after the ordeal began, local security forces stormed the cafe and rescued the hostages. Four hostages were injured in addition to the two that were killed.

“Israel and Australia face the same scourge of ruthless Islamist terrorism which knows no geographic bounds and targets innocent civilians indiscriminately,” Netanyahu wrote to Abbott. “Now, more than ever, the international community must join hands and work together to defeat these forces of evil, which threaten the security of all civilized nations. … Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the people of Australia at this difficult time.”