Call to end Gaza war is ‘wrong and dangerous'
The statement – signed by more than a dozen EU nations, along with Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, and others – warned that Gaza's humanitarian crisis had reached intolerable levels. The foreign ministers condemned the 'drip feeding of aid' and the 'inhumane killing of civilians, including children' seeking food and water. Citing UN and Gaza Health Ministry figures showing over 800 Palestinians killed while seeking aid, the statement called the situation 'horrifying' and urged Israel to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Netanyahu's adviser Dmitry Gendelman said the appeal sent Hamas a 'wrong and dangerous message,' calling it a 'delusion' that ignored the 'obvious truth' that Hamas alone was blocking a ceasefire. He accused the militant group of launching the war, holding hostages, and rejecting 'clear and fair' truce proposals accepted by Israel.
Israel's Foreign Ministry also dismissed the statement as 'disconnected from reality,' accusing Hamas of prolonging the war by refusing a US-backed ceasefire and hostage deal.
Ceasefire talks resumed in Doha on July 6 under US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediation. The current proposal, reportedly endorsed by Israel, involves a 60‑day truce, phased hostage releases, partial Israeli troop withdrawals, and expanded humanitarian aid. Hamas, however, is demanding a full and permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and international guarantees on reconstruction.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in 2023 after a deadly Hamas incursion. Since then, over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Gaza's 2 million residents face a dire humanitarian crisis, with 90% displaced and dependent on limited aid. The 21-month war has pushed the territory to the brink of famine and sparked global protests.
Israel's actions during the conflict have triggered genocide accusations and led to an ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The EU, UK, Canada, and France have warned of possible sanctions if conditions do not improve.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Russia Today
15 more countries urge recognition of Palestinian state
Fifteen countries have joined the growing push to recognize Palestinian statehood. Their calls echo the position of nations such as Russia that already recognize Palestine and view a two-state solution as the only way to end the Gaza war. In a joint statement issued late Tuesday following a conference in New York, the foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Spain, urged global recognition of Palestine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 'We… have already recognized, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-state solution,' the ministers said, while also calling for the release of all hostages held by Hamas. They called on other nations to join their push and stressed the need to unify Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority. The statement comes days after France pledged to formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September. President Emmanuel Macron said doing so would advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. The move was sharply criticized by the US and Israel. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel acts to end the 'appalling situation in Gaza.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Starmer's ultimatum, calling it a 'reward for Hamas.' As of March, 147 of the 193 UN member states – including Russia – officially recognize Palestine. Moscow's position dates back to 1988, when it adopted the Soviet Union's recognition of the Palestinian declaration of independence. Russia 'has always adhered to a two-state solution' as the only way to resolve the issue, according to the Kremlin. The conflict erupted in October 2023 after a Hamas incursion into southern Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths and the capture of dozens of hostages. Since then, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Russia Today
7 hours ago
- Russia Today
NATO nation rebukes West over bias on Ukraine and Gaza conflicts
Western nations that condemn Russia's military operation against Ukraine often hold back on criticizing Israel's Gaza offensive, which has produced a major humanitarian crisis, Norway's foreign minister has told the Financial Times. In an interview on Tuesday, Espen Barth Eide stated that Western countries are undermining their credibility by treating the two conflicts in a completely different manner and engaging in cherry-picking. 'By very correctly criticizing Russia… but until recently being very quiet on Gaza — that tells other parts of the world that we are not really seeing these as absolute norms but more like a menu that we can pick arguments from,' he said. He described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as 'worse than hell on earth' and stressed that many nations suspect the West of double standards. 'We would be well advised to try to understand, not agree, what they think, and what many out there think is an inconsistent application of international law,' he added. Following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, the Jewish state unleashed a military campaign in Gaza. The hostilities have led to tens of thousands of civilian deaths, a humanitarian crisis, and unprecedented destruction. While Western nations have sounded the alarm about the situation in Gaza, it wasn't until May 2025 that the UK, French, and Canadian governments issued a statement condemning Israel's military operations. In addition, France, Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia, recently moved to officially recognize the State of Palestine, with the UK also warning of impending recognition unless Israel ceases hostilities. The US, a key Israel ally, has been a notable holdout on condemning West Jerusalem, denouncing the wave of recognitions as a boon for Hamas and a setback for peace. In June, the US also vetoed a UN Security Council resolution urging a 'permanent ceasefire in Gaza,' arguing that the document does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave the enclave. Western nations have largely avoided imposing sanctions on Israel, in contrast to the unprecedented sanctions they hit Russia with in 2022.
Russia Today
12 hours ago
- Russia Today
Israel accuses UK of ‘appeasing terrorism'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the UK of 'appeasement towards jihadist terrorists,' after the British government said it would recognize Palestinian statehood if Israel does not ease its military operations in Gaza and facilitate humanitarian access. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the policy shift on Tuesday under pressure from members of parliament, stating that London would pursue recognition of a Palestinian state from September unless Israel enables sufficient humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and halts any plans for further annexation in the West Bank. Netanyahu denounced the move, accusing Starmer of emboldening the militant group Hamas and paving the way for a 'jihadist state' that would endanger both Israel and the UK. 'Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails,' Netanyahu said in a post on X. 'It will not happen.' In its announcement, the Starmer government emphasized that it envisions no role for Hamas in Gaza's future governance and rejected claims that the policy rewards terrorism. London reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state solution, describing it as a vision of 'a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.' Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have consistently opposed a two-state solution. The Israeli government has continued to expand Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories and maintains control over a system that human rights organizations describe as apartheid. The conflict escalated in October 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly raid from Gaza into southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of dozens of hostages. Israel responded with a sweeping military operation that, according to local Gaza officials, has killed over 59,000 people in the enclave. On Monday, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said Israel's military actions in Gaza amount to genocide, based on an analysis of government statements and the effects of the ongoing campaign. Most nations in the world, including China, India, and Russia, already recognize Palestinian statehood. France became the first G7 member to announce its intention to follow suit last week. Other countries considering the move include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Portugal.
