logo
War in Gaza 'must end now' say 25 Western nations in joint statement

War in Gaza 'must end now' say 25 Western nations in joint statement

LeMonde6 days ago
A group of 25 Western countries including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, declared on Monday that the war in Gaza "must end now," arguing that civilians' suffering had "reached new depths."
"We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," the grouping added in a joint statement. "Further bloodshed serves no purpose. We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this."
The signatories – which also included Japan, several EU countries, Switzerland and New Zealand – added they were "prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire." The wide-ranging statement branded the controversial Israeli-supported relief effort in Gaza as "dangerous" and said it deprives Gazans of "human dignity."
"We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food," the statement said. "The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," it added, urging Israel to "comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law."
'Lift restrictions on aid'
The statement called for the Israeli government "to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively." The UN said last week that it had recorded 875 people who had been killed in Gaza while trying to get food via the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). It has replaced UN agencies as the main distributor of aid in the territory.
The 25-nation statement also condemned the continued detention of hostages in Gaza by Hamas militants, demanding "their immediate and unconditional release" and noting a negotiated ceasefire "offers the best hope of bringing them home."
Meanwhile, the signatories said they "strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories" and said an Israeli plan to shift Palestinians into a so-called "humanitarian city" was unacceptable. "Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law," they warned.
The statement was also signed by EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Von der Leyen and Trump strike EU-US trade deal to avert tariff war
Von der Leyen and Trump strike EU-US trade deal to avert tariff war

Euronews

time2 hours ago

  • Euronews

Von der Leyen and Trump strike EU-US trade deal to avert tariff war

The European Union and the United States have struck a tentative trade deal to avert a potentially devastating tariff war between two of the world's largest economies, capping a race against time before a self-imposed deadline of 1 August. Under the agreed terms, finalised on Sunday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Scotland, the majority of EU exports bound for the American market will be slapped with a 15% tariff. "I think it's great we made a deal today instead of playing games," Trump said at the end of the meeting. "I think it's the biggest deal ever made." "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world. And it's a big deal. It's a huge deal," von der Leyen said. "It will bring stability, it will bring predictability. That's very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." This is a developing story.

Is there a genocide in Gaza? Why legal experts are split
Is there a genocide in Gaza? Why legal experts are split

LeMonde

time3 hours ago

  • LeMonde

Is there a genocide in Gaza? Why legal experts are split

Historians will provide their interpretation at some point in the future. But what about legal experts? When it comes to the question of whether a genocide is underway or has been committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, nearly all of them have an opinion. They have clashed in opinion pieces published in newspapers and scholarly journal articles. The debate had already been simmering for several months, but with a single sentence, President Emmanuel Macron brought it out into the open in the French public debate. On the evening of May 13, during an interview on broadcaster TF1, journalist Gilles Bouleau abruptly asked the head of state: "Does what is currently happening in Gaza constitute genocide?" Clearly prepared and looking solemn, the president answered without hesitation: "It is not for a political leader to use those terms; that is up to historians, in due time." The president neither endorsed nor condemned the use of the word "genocide." However, by deferring responsibility to historians and the passage of time, he appeared to overlook the fact that several legal proceedings are already underway, both before French courts and before relevant international bodies – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), both based in The Hague, Netherlands. Genocide brought up soon after October 7, 2023 The question of genocide and Gaza is not just a matter for historians to address through archival research. Above all, it is the domain of law experts – prosecutors, investigating judges, and lawyers – who are working directly on complaints, lawsuits, and appeals that have already been filed. For instance, the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office, which is responsible for investigating cases of torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, requested in May that a probe be opened following a complaint for "complicity in genocide" and "direct incitement to genocide." This complaint had been filed against French-Israeli activists who obstructed the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Only the investigation will determine whether there was complicity, and therefore a genocide, but this process could take several years.

EU chief to Zelensky: Keep anti-graft bodies independent
EU chief to Zelensky: Keep anti-graft bodies independent

LeMonde

time4 hours ago

  • LeMonde

EU chief to Zelensky: Keep anti-graft bodies independent

The president of the European Commission urged Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, July 27, to preserve the independence of anti-corruption organizations, after a row last week over Kyiv's move to curb their powers. Ursula von der Leyen said she had held good talks with the leader of Ukraine, a country she said had "already achieved a lot on its European path." "It must build on these solid foundations and preserve independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine's rule of law," she added in a post on X. Ukraine sparked a firestorm of criticism on Tuesday after its parliament voted to revoke the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies. The EU at the time described the move as a "serious step back," with critics saying it would enable the government to meddle in high-profile graft cases. Von der Leyen herself demanded "explanations" from Zelensky, a rare rebuke from Brussels that came as Kyiv is pushing to join the 27-nation EU. The move sparked unprecedented protests in Kyiv, and Zelensky backtracked two days later, announcing new laws to guarantee the independence of the anti-graft bodies. The EU was quick to welcome that action, saying the fight against corruption was "an extremely important priority for us and for Ukraine as well." "Ukraine can count on our support to deliver progress on its European path," said von der Leyen on Sunday in her post on X.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store