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France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
UN chief blasts 'lack of compassion' for Palestinians in Gaza
"I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community -- the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity," Guterres told Amnesty International's global assembly via video link. "This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience. We will continue to speak out at every opportunity." Aid groups have warned of surging cases of starvation, particularly among children, in war-ravaged Gaza, which Israel placed under an aid blockade in March amid its ongoing war with Hamas. That blockade was partially eased two months later. The trickle of aid since then has been controlled by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, replacing the longstanding UN-led distribution system. International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said Friday "there is no excuse for what is happening in Gaza." "The scale of human suffering and the stripping of human dignity have long exceeded every acceptable standard -- both legal and moral." Spoljaric said the ICRC has more than 350 staff in Gaza, "many of whom are also struggling to find enough food and clean water." Aid groups and the United Nations have refused to work with the GHF, accusing it of aiding Israeli military goals. Guterres said while he had repeatedly condemned the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which triggered the war in the Palestinian territory, "nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since." "The scale and scope is beyond anything we have seen in recent times," he said. "Children speak of wanting to go to heaven, because at least, they say, there is food there. We hold video calls with our own humanitarians who are starving before our eyes... But words don't feed hungry children." Guterres also condemned the killing of more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to access food aid supplies since May 27, when the GHF began operations. "We need action: an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access," Guterres said. He added that the United Nations was ready to "dramatically scale up humanitarian operations" in Gaza should Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire deal.
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
UK, France, Germany say Gaza 'humanitarian catastrophe must end now'
"We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation," they said in a joint statement released by Berlin. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that "the most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay". "Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," they said. "Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law." More than 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza after more than 21 months of war. Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for the deepening crisis in Gaza, which the World Health Organization has called "man-made". Israel placed the Gaza Strip under an aid blockade in March, which it only partially eased two months later while sidelining the longstanding UN-led distribution system. The European leaders also stressed that "the time has come to end the war in Gaza. "We urge all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire." "We stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region," they said. Starmer had earlier said he would hold an "emergency call" on Gaza Friday with Macron and Merz. Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered the conflict with its October 7, 2023 attack in Israel. The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has so far killed 59,676 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
France 24
10 hours ago
- France 24
Why has France decided to recognise Palestinian statehood?
International envoys are set to discuss a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict early next week in New York, before a further summit co-hosted by France ahead of the UN General Assembly in September. Why now? Macron's announcement on Thursday came as international alarm grew about the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel's war against the Hamas militant group has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation. "The sense of urgency may have driven the president to move forward alone," France's former ambassador to Israel Gerard Araud told the France Inter broadcaster. Besides the humanitarian crisis and "the shocking declarations of certain Israeli ministers" on the fate they wish for all Gazans, Macron may also have been influenced by the political climate in France, said David Khalfa of the Jean Jaures Foundation. The war has triggered tensions in France, which is home to the largest Muslim community in the European Union, as well as the biggest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States. What's the plan? France has long advocated for the so-called "two-state solution" for a Palestinian state to live in peace side-by-side with an Israeli one. Macron's original idea was for France and other countries to recognise a Palestinian state at the same time as other nations -- including Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia -- normalised ties with Israel. As that proposal did not appear to gain traction, Macron made his announcement in the hope of spurring others to do likewise in the run-up to September's UN General Assembly, said analyst Amelie Ferey. "The idea is to have a little over a month to potentially rally other countries to make a larger announcement in New York," said Ferey, an analyst at the French Institute of International Relations. "The United Kingdom and Canada could perhaps follow suit," she added. Will it work? Canada, France and Britain were among 25 countries on Monday to say the Gaza war "must end now", arguing that the suffering of civilians had "reached new depths". Mujtaba Rahman, the Europe director of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was under pressure from his Labour party to act. "He wants to move in concert with other countries and use recognition as a card in negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza," he said. "But the timing is awkward" as US President Donald Trump arrives in Scotland on Friday evening, he added. "Starmer will be reluctant to upset him when there's still things to be done on the UK-US trade deal." Why team up with Riyadh? As France has no leverage to end the current Gaza war, "the idea in Paris is to let the United States impose a ceasefire, and for Paris to then be an important actor afterwards, along with the Saudis," said Ferey. Camille Lons, an expert from the European Council on Foreign Relations, said France and Saudi Arabia were working on a post-ceasefire roadmap. This would include proposals for "the isolation and disarmament of Hamas, Palestinian elections in 2026, a new legal framework for political parties" and "the prospect of having a technocratic government", she said. Other options on the table could include a UN peacekeeping mission, including personnel from neighbouring Egypt, she said. "The goal is to garner support from countries in the region for the sidelining of Hamas, including Qatar," an ally of the Palestinian Islamist group, she added. Is it realistic? But "this is all quite detached from reality", warned Lons. For Ferey, "the Israeli government's goal is for there to be no Palestinian state." After almost 22 months of war in Gaza, sparked by an unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, the blockaded Palestinian territory has been largely ravaged by bombardment. And Israel's far-right government is pushing for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Many Israelis now live in what would become a Palestinian state. Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and its 200,000 Jewish residents, the occupied West Bank is home to around 500,000 Israelis in settlements considered illegal under international law. Three million Palestinians also live in the West Bank. Khalfa added that Saudi Arabia had no intention to normalise its ties with Israel for as long as Prime Minister Netanyahu -- who critics accuse of prolonging the Gaza war to stay in office -- remains in power.
