We, the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia, have called for today’s urgent meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Gaza.
We condemn the Government of Israel’s decision to further expand its military operations in Gaza.
This plan risks violating international humanitarian law. We call on Israel to urgently reverse this decision and not to implement it.
And we reiterate that any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.
Expanding military operations will only endanger the lives of all civilians in Gaza, including the remaining hostages, and result in further unnecessary suffering.
Just this week, the Security Council heard a harrowing testimony from Ilay David, the brother of Evyatar David who was cruelly taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October and has been held in atrocious conditions in Gaza for over 22 months.
His briefing was a stark reminder that the suffering of the remaining hostages and their families must end.
The Security Council has consistently called for the unconditional and immediate release of all the hostages.
And we are clear that Hamas must disarm and play no future part in the governance of Gaza, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.
But this decision by the Israeli Government will do nothing to secure the return of the hostages and risks further endangering their lives.
It will also worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and risks further death and mass displacement of Palestinian civilians.
The IPC has warned that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Children are dying from starvation.
Hunger is so severe that desperate civilians are taking the risk of getting killed at aid distribution sites in order to feed their families.
This is a manmade crisis, and therefore urgent action is needed to halt starvation and to surge aid into Gaza.
We have a clear message for Israel: lift restrictions on aid delivery to allow the UN and established humanitarian partners to operate safely and at scale, in line with the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
It is also vital that international NGOs can operate in Gaza. Israel’s unreasonable visa and registration requirements must be removed and all land routes opened for essential supplies, including food, baby formula, medicine, fuel and clean water.
After 22 months of suffering in Gaza, now is the time for diplomacy, not more war.
The ceasefire earlier this year showed what can be achieved when there is political will. It ended the bloodshed. Hostages were reunited with their loved ones. Effective humanitarian aid reached those in desperate need.
The international conference on the two-state solution last month, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, was a powerful demonstration of the strength of international resolve to secure a better future and deliver long-term peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the region.
We call on both parties to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all the hostages, and to urgently advance efforts to achieve a two-state solution.
