International alarm over Israeli plans
Ten foreign ministers, including those of the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand, have condemned Israel’s decision to launch a new large-scale military operation in Gaza, warning it will worsen the humanitarian crisis and risk mass civilian displacement.
In a joint statement issued on August 8 and updated on August 9, the ministers, alongside the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said the plans by Israel’s Security Cabinet could violate international humanitarian law. They also reaffirmed that any annexation or settlement expansion would breach international law.
Ceasefire and aid demands
The statement urged all parties and the international community to work towards an “immediate and permanent ceasefire” to end the conflict, enable unimpeded humanitarian access, and avert the “worst-case scenario of a famine” in Gaza.
It also called on Hamas to release all hostages without delay or conditions, and to ensure their humane treatment. The ministers said ending the suffering of both hostages and civilians was essential to achieving progress.
Criticism of humanitarian restrictions
The ministers voiced concern over Israel’s recent registration system for international humanitarian organisations, warning that it was hindering vital aid work. They urged Israel to “urgently find solutions” so that humanitarian actors could operate in line with established principles and reach civilians in need.
The statement said excluding such organisations from Gaza relief efforts would send an “egregious signal” at a time when aid was desperately needed.
Support for two-state solution
Reaffirming their collective stance, the ministers said they were united in supporting a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee peace, security, and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.
They stressed that any political resolution would require the “total demilitarisation of Hamas” and its complete removal from governance in Gaza, with the Palestinian Authority playing a central role.
The joint statement represents a rare coordinated message from multiple Western nations and the EU, underlining growing international concern over the scale of the crisis in Gaza and the implications of further Israeli military action.
