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THE United Kingdom, Canada and 26 other countries have issued a joint statement declaring that the war in Gaza “must end now”, as international concern grows over Israel’s ongoing military operations and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” AP reported the statement saying, condemning “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”
Describing the deaths of over 800 Palestinians seeking aid — as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry and the United Nations human rights office — as “horrifying”, the signatories called Israel’s aid model “dangerous”, saying it “fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity”.
“The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” the statement added. “Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
The signatories included Australia, Japan, New Zealand and multiple European states, though Germany notably did not join. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin remains “gravely concerned” about the humanitarian situation but stopped short of endorsing the full statement, urging instead that Israel honour its EU humanitarian agreements.
Israel rejected the joint statement outright. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said it was “disconnected from reality” and “sends the wrong message to Hamas”, which he described as solely responsible for prolonging the war. The Israeli government also accused the militant group of rejecting a ceasefire deal and using civilians as shields.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee dismissed the statement as “disgusting”, arguing that international pressure should be directed at “the savages of Hamas” rather than Israel.
The war in Gaza has now stretched into its 21st month, with more than 59,000 Palestinians killed, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The figures, though issued by the Hamas-run authority, are considered credible by the UN and other international agencies.
The conflict began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas fighters launched a surprise cross-border attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Of those, 50 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza, though fewer than half are thought to be alive.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza has been staggering. Around 90% of the population has been displaced, many forced to flee multiple times. Since March 2, Israel has enforced a near-total blockade on aid entering Gaza. Most aid permitted by Israel is channelled through the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but human rights groups have criticised the mechanism as inadequate and dangerous. Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed while approaching distribution points under Israeli military watch.
Israel denies blocking aid and says its forces only fire warning shots. It has blamed Hamas for civilian deaths, citing the group’s presence in densely populated areas. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until Hamas is “defeated or disarmed” and all hostages are returned.
While ceasefire talks involving the US, Qatar and Egypt continue, little progress has been made. Speaking in the UK Parliament, Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised the diplomatic efforts and issued a stark warning: “There is no military solution. The next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.” - July 22, 2025
