More than two dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, and 21 other nations, plus the European Union, have called for an immediate end to the war on Gaza. In a joint statement, these countries expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying that the suffering of civilians has “reached new depths”. The statement was issued after more than 21 months of fighting that has triggered catastrophic humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million residents.
The signatories condemned “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food”. They also denounced Israel’s aid delivery model in Gaza, saying it “deprives Palestinians of human dignity”. According to the UN and the Gaza Health Ministry, 875 people have been killed in Gaza while trying to get food since late May, when Israel began easing a more than two-month total blockade.
The joint statement called for an immediate ceasefire, saying countries are prepared to take action to support a political pathway to peace in the region. “The war must end now,” the signatories said, urging a negotiated ceasefire, the release of captives held by Palestinian fighters, and the free flow of much-needed aid. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy thanked the United States, Qatar, and Egypt for their diplomatic efforts to try to end the war. “There is no military solution,” Lammy said. “The next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.”
The statement reflects a growing consensus among Israel’s allies that the war on Gaza must end. Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego, reporting from London, said that the statement was a significant escalation from Israel’s allies over its war on Gaza. “This also reflects a broader consensus beyond Europe,” she said. “European nations have condemned the situation in Gaza, and now you have foreign ministries – such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan – that put their names in this statement.”
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened since Israel launched its war on the territory after Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing at least 1,129 people and taking 251 others captive. Fifty captives remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are thought to be alive. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, mostly women and children.
The international community’s call for an immediate end to the war on Gaza comes amid growing concerns over the humanitarian situation in the territory. The joint statement is a significant development, as it reflects a growing consensus among countries that the war on Gaza must end.