More than two dozen countries have called for an immediate end to the war against Gaza, saying that suffering there had “reached new depths” in the last sign of the sharp language of the allies as the international isolation of Israel was deepened.
Monday’s declaration occurred after more than 21 months of fighting which sparked catastrophic humanitarian conditions for more than two million Gaza residents.
Israeli allies The United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada and 21 other countries, as well as the European Union, said in a joint statement that the war “should end now”.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” added the signatories, urging a negotiated ceasefire, the release of captives held by Palestinian fighters and the free movement of essential aid.
They condemned “food drips aid and the inhuman murder of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food”.
In total, the declaration was signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland United Kingdom.
The EU commissioner for equality, preparation and crisis management was also signatory.
“Wider consensus”
The UN and the Gaza Ministry of Health have recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food since the end of May, while Israel has started to soften a total blockage of more than two months.
“The Israeli government aid delivery model is dangerous, feeds instability and deprives gas dignity,” said countries. “The refusal of the Israeli government of humanitarian aid essential to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. ”
Sonia Gallego, Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from London, said that the declaration was an important escalation of the allies of Israel on her war against Gaza.
“This also reflects a wider consensus beyond Europe,” she said.
“The European nations have condemned the situation to Gaza, and now you have foreign ministries – such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan – which are named in this declaration,” said our correspondent.
The new joint declaration called for an immediate ceasefire, saying that countries are ready to take measures to support a political journey to peace in the region.
Israel and Hamas have embarked on cease-fire talks, but there does not seem to be a breakthrough, and it is not clear if a truce would put war on a lasting internship. Netanyahu said on several occasions that the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas in negotiations.
Addressing parliament, the British Foreign Minister David Lammy, thanked the United States, Qatar and Egypt for their diplomatic efforts to try to end the war.
“There is no military solution,” said Lammy. “The next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.”
Israel launched the war against Gaza after Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing at least 1,129 people and taking 251 other captives. Fifty captives remain in Gaza, but less than half would be alive.
The military offensive of Israel killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, mainly women and children.
