Joint Statement on the Urgent Need for a Ceasefire in Gaza

Joint Statement on the Urgent Need for a Ceasefire in Gaza

We, the undersigned Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, come together to convey a united and urgent message: the devastating war in Gaza must cease immediately.

The human toll in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with the Israeli government's restrictive aid delivery model perpetuating instability and stripping civilians of their basic dignity. The deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance has resulted in the senseless killing of over 800 Palestinians, including innocent children, who were merely attempting to access essential necessities like water and food. This is a stark violation of international humanitarian law, and we condemn such actions in the strongest possible terms.

Furthermore, we are deeply disturbed by the continued detention of hostages held captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023. We demand their immediate and unconditional release, and call on all parties to engage in meaningful negotiations to bring an end to this humanitarian crisis.

We urge the Israeli government to lift all restrictions on aid flow and ensure the safe and unhindered operation of the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs. It is imperative that these organizations are allowed to perform their life-saving work without hindrance.

We also stress that all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and the prevention of forced displacement. Proposals to establish a "humanitarian city" for the Palestinian population are utterly unacceptable, as they would contravene fundamental principles of humanitarian law.

Moreover, we express our strong opposition to any measures that could lead to territorial or demographic changes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel's Civil Administration, if implemented, would effectively bisect a future Palestinian state, flagrantly violating international law and critically undermining the two-state solution. The accelerated pace of settlement building across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, accompanied by a surge in settler violence against Palestinians, must be halted.

In light of these pressing concerns, we urge the parties involved and the international community to unite in a concerted effort to bring an end to this devastating conflict through an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire. Further bloodshed serves no purpose, and we reaffirm our full support for the diplomatic efforts of the US, Qatar, and Egypt to achieve this goal.

We stand prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire region.

Signed by:

• The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK
• The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management
Robert File