Military operation will 'aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation,' says 5 foreign ministers
Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the UK "strongly rejected" Israel's plan Friday to occupy Gaza City.
The military operation will "aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians," their foreign ministers said in a statement.
They indicated that the plan risks “violating international humanitarian law,” adding that “any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law."
The ministers urged an immediate and permanent ceasefire "that enables the provision of a massive, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, as the worst-case scenario of a famine is unfolding in Gaza."
The foreign ministers expressed a commitment to "the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution," requiring "the total demilitarization of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip."
Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan early Friday to fully occupy Gaza City.
Israel has faced mounting outrage for its destructive war against Gaza, where more than 61,000 victims have been killed since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
