26 nations and the European Union have issued a joint statement demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation “unacceptable” and placing direct blame on the Israeli government for obstructing aid and violating international law.
The signatories include key Western allies such as Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Australia, alongside nearly every major European Union country. Their message is unequivocal: the war must end now.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” the joint statement reads. It criticizes Israel’s current model for aid delivery as “dangerous,” alleging that it has led to instability and widespread deprivation. The signatories condemn the “inhumane killing of civilians, including children,” especially those trying to access food and water, and express horror at reports that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
Israel’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance, they state, constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law. They call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on aid flow and enable humanitarian organizations and the United Nations to operate safely and effectively.
While the statement also reiterates condemnation of Hamas for its continued detention of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks, it asserts that “a negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope” for bringing those hostages home.
Beyond the Gaza Strip, the statement strongly opposes Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, warning that new developments like the E1 settlement plan would “divide a Palestinian state in two” and “critically undermine the two-state solution.” The ministers label such actions a “flagrant breach of international law,” pointing to the acceleration of settlement building and a sharp rise in settler violence.
In a clear signal of potential escalation in diplomatic pressure, the signatories state that they are “prepared to take further action” in pursuit of both an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to long-term peace and security in the region.