21-07-2025
Tánaiste among 25 foreign ministers calling for Gaza ceasefire, as denial of aid deemed 'unacceptable'
THE TÁNAISTE HAS joined the foreign ministers of 24 countries in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, as they say the suffering of civilians 'has reached new depths'.
They have condemned the 'drip feeding' of aid and the 'inhumane killing of civilians,' and urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
In the letter released today, foreign ministers reiterated calls for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas since 7 October, arguing that a ceasefire has the 'best hope' of bringing them home.
Tánaiste Simon Harris signed the letter alongside the foreign ministers for Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Deaths of people waiting for handouts in huge crowds near food points in Gaza have become a regular occurrence, with the territory's authorities frequently blaming Israeli fire.
Israel must immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and other organisations to do their life saving work safely and effectively. Hamas must release all hostages immediately.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD)
July 21, 2025
The foreign ministers said today that Israel's aid delivery model is 'dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity'.
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'It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. The Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,' the letter says.
The ministers hit out at Israel's efforts to impose the E1 settlement plan announced by Israel which, if implemented, would divide a Palestinian state in two – 'a flagrant breach of international law'.
They noted that settlement building across the West Bank including East Jerusalem has accelerated while settler violence against Palestinians has increased.
'Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a 'humanitarian city' are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law,' they said.
'We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.'
Trade with Israel
Meanwhile, the European Union this month agreed to work with the Netanyahu government to increase the level of aid in Gaza.
However, European leaders
couldn't agree on
whether to put an end to trading with Israel.
A third of Israel's imports come from the EU, valued at over €23bn annually, while Europe imports less than 1% of its goods from Israel.
Suspending trade ties would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible as countries like Austria, Germany and Hungary, that tend to more supportive of Israel's government.
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