Twenty-five countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan, have called for an „immediate” cessation of the war in the Gaza Strip, under Israeli siege, in a joint declaration published on Monday.
The document, signed by the foreign ministers of the 25 states, denounces the increasingly severe humanitarian crisis and the Israeli government’s refusal to facilitate aid for the civilian population.
Romania is not among the signatories.
"We (…) unite around a simple and urgent message: the war in Gaza must cease immediately," wrote the foreign ministers of the 25 countries, emphasizing that "the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new heights."
The approximately two million Palestinians besieged by Israel in Gaza are on the brink of starvation after over 21 months since the beginning of the current conflict, triggered by an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
"The aid distribution model implemented by the Israeli government is dangerous, fuels instability, and deprives the inhabitants of Gaza of their human dignity," continued the signatories, referring to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the United States and Israel.
Over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid
The GHF began its operations at the end of May, after a total humanitarian blockade imposed by Israel for over two months. "It's horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid," the ministers further wrote.
Last Tuesday, the UN announced that since the end of May, 875 people have been killed while trying to procure food, including 674 "near GHF facilities."
"The Israeli government's refusal to provide essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," the signatories denounced.
They also demanded the release of the "cruelly detained hostages" by Hamas.
The foreign ministers also specified that "they strongly oppose any initiative aimed at changing the territory or demographics of the occupied Palestinian territories" and called for an end to colonization activities in these territories.
The signatory countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The declaration was also signed by the European Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib.