Twenty-Five Countries Urge Immediate End to Gaza War, Citing Humanitarian Crisis

A coalition of 25 countries, among them Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Japan, issued a joint statement on Monday demanding an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza and urging Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law. The statement, signed by foreign ministers from about 20 European nations as well as the EU commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, expressed alarm over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 2 million residents face severe shortages of food and water.

The signatories condemned the limited delivery of aid and civilian deaths, describing the situation as having reached "new depths" of suffering. They characterized as "horrifying" the reported deaths of over 800 Palestinians seeking aid, based on figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry and the United Nations human rights office. The statement criticized Israel’s aid delivery model as dangerous and accused the government of denying essential humanitarian assistance, calling this "unacceptable."

The group called for an immediate ceasefire and expressed readiness to support efforts toward a political solution in the region. Notably, the United States and Germany did not sign the statement.

Israel has rejected criticism of its conduct, maintaining that its military operations comply with the law and attributing civilian casualties to Hamas’s presence in populated areas. The Israeli government also claims it has allowed sufficient aid into Gaza and accuses Hamas of diverting supplies, a claim the United Nations says is not supported by evidence.

The conflict began when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed in the subsequent Israeli military campaign, with more than half reported as women and children. Ceasefire negotiations are ongoing, but no breakthrough has been reached.