By Andreas Lundberg 
Twenty-eight countries, including Britain, Japan, France, and Canada, issued a joint statement on Monday demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza, citing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and urging Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.
The foreign ministers condemned the “inhumane killing” of civilians, including children, and called the deaths of over 800 Palestinians seeking aid, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry and the U.N., “horrifying.” They criticized Israel’s aid delivery model as “dangerous” and accused the government of denying essential humanitarian assistance, stating, “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.”
Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians face famine and displacement, with 90% of the population forced to flee, many repeatedly. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israel-backed group, distributes limited aid, but hundreds have reportedly been killed by Israeli forces near aid sites. Israel claims it uses warning shots, though witnesses and health officials dispute this.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statement, calling it “disconnected from reality” and blaming Hamas for rejecting a ceasefire proposal. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee also dismissed the criticism, urging focus on Hamas. Germany, absent from the statement, expressed concern but called for more aid rather than condemnation.
The war, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages, has killed over 59,000 Palestinians, per Gaza’s Health Ministry, with over half being women and children. Ceasefire talks, mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, have stalled, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to continue until Hamas is defeated and hostages are freed.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stressed, “There is no military solution,” while Australian Minister Tony Burke called Gaza’s destruction “indefensible.” The 28 nations warned of potential actions to support a political path to peace, as global protests and an International Criminal Court warrant against Netanyahu highlight Israel’s growing isolation.
Dale Chaucer 
Ethan Caldwell