Leaders of the G7 countries and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called – yesterday, Wednesday – for the establishment of a truce in the Gaza Strip, and for urgent action to confront the humanitarian crisis. Paris also called for an immediate and permanent truce in the Strip, while the Belgian Prime Minister condemned settler violence in the West Bank.
The G7 leaders announced – in a statement – their support for a new truce in the Gaza Strip and their support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying that they are determined to work closely with their partners to contribute to providing the necessary conditions for permanent solutions in Gaza.
The G7 expressed its deep concern about the devastating impact of the war on civilians in Gaza, calling for the opening of new crossings with the approach of winter to meet all needs, in addition to the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt.
The leaders stressed the need to take more effective measures to prevent the displacement of more people, protect civilian infrastructure and comply with international humanitarian law.
Immediate action
For his part, Borrell said that the UN Security Council must act immediately to prevent the complete collapse of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Borrell called – via the
A call for a permanent truce
For her part, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called on Wednesday, along with representatives of about 50 countries and international organizations, to respect international law in Gaza and establish a new, immediate and permanent humanitarian truce.
Colonna stressed that any new truce must lead to a ceasefire, which is a prerequisite for providing more humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza, and for the return of the political horizon, as she put it.
This came while she chaired a meeting of the International Humanitarian Conference for Civilians in the Gaza Strip, which was organized by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron announced that his country would increase its aid to the Gaza Strip in 2023 from 20 to 100 million euros.
Condemn settler violence
In Belgium, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that his country would prevent extremist settlers from entering it, and that it would work with the European Union to enforce this.
He added – in his speech before the University of Ghent on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – that people in the Middle East want Europeans to feel their suffering, according to him.
In its statement, the G7 also denounced the increase in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Settler violence in the West Bank has increased coinciding with the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7, which resulted in the death of more than 16,000 and the injury of more than 43,000 Palestinians, amid the scarcity of humanitarian aid, the collapse of the health sector, and the growing refugee crisis.