Tokyo, Nov 8 (EFE).- The foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy nations called on Tuesday for “humanitarian pauses and corridors” to deliver vital supplies to civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has endured a month of Israeli military offensives and a complete blockade.
The top diplomats from Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union “unequivocally” condemned “the terror attacks” by the Islamist Hamas group on Oct. 7.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said the G7 diplomats emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself and its people, per international law, and called for the immediate release of all hostages (held by Hamas) without preconditions.”
“We stress the need for urgent action to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” they said in a joint statement.
They called on all parties to allow unimpeded humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, shelter, and access for humanitarian workers.
“We support humanitarian pauses and corridors to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement, and the release of hostages. Foreign nationals must also be allowed to continue to depart.”
The statement said the G7 diplomats underscored the importance of protecting civilians and compliance with international law, particularly international humanitarian law.
The statement said the escalation “in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians is unacceptable” as it undermined security in the occupied West Bank and threatened prospects for a lasting peace.
The foreign minister said they, along with partners in the region, were working “intensively to prevent the conflict from escalating further and spreading more widely.”
We are also working together, including by imposing sanctions or other measures, to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities.
“We underscore that a two-state solution, which envisions Israel and a viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition, remains the only path to a just, lasting, and secure peace.”
Kamikawa said it was the first time that the G7 members had been able to adopt a common understanding of the current situation” in Israel and Palestine.
She said it highlighted “the importance of a humanitarian step” and continued efforts for peace, emphasizing “the creation of the two states is the only viable option.”
The foreign ministers met in Tokyo and held a series of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by an Israeli military offensive.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed over 10,500 civilians after Hamas militants infiltrated Israel, leading to 1,400 casualties and 241 hostages.
Despite mounting international calls for a humanitarian truce, the Israeli military has intensified its attacks on Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Israeli forces could assume control of Gaza’s security “indefinitely” once the war ended. EFE
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