In a show of transcontinental consensus, 25 Western nations—including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, the UK, Japan, Switzerland, New Zealand and several EU members— in a joint statement issued a sharp rebuke of Israel’s actions in Gaza on Monday, calling for an immediate halt to the war and warning of the humanitarian catastrophe deepening by the day.
Declaring that the toll on civilians had “reached new depths,” the coalition of nations insisted the violence must be brought to a close. “We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire,” the joint statement read. “Further bloodshed serves no purpose. We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this.”
While offering support for diplomatic efforts, the countries also signaled readiness to escalate pressure if necessary. They expressed dismay over the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), labeling the initiative not only “dangerous,” but also degrading to those it aims to assist. According to the signatories, the operation strips Palestinians of “human dignity.”
“We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food,” the statement said. “The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” it added, demanding that Israel “comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
The coalition of countries didn’t stop there. It directly called on Israel to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively.” The United Nations recently reported that at least 875 people have been killed while attempting to access food through the U.S.- and Israel-endorsed GHF, which has supplanted traditional UN channels for aid distribution.
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On the matter of hostages, the statement delivered a firm demand to Hamas: “their immediate and unconditional release.” It added that a negotiated truce “offers the best hope of bringing them home.”
The coalition also condemned Israel’s proposals for relocating Palestinians to what has been referred to as a “humanitarian city,” rejecting the concept outright. Any efforts to redraw Gaza’s demographic map, they warned, would constitute a breach of legal norms: “Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.”
Among the signatories was Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, underscoring Brussels’ growing unease with developments on the ground.
Israel's condemns statement: 'Disconnected from reality'
Israel pushed back forcefully against the joint statement issued by 25 Western nations calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, dismissing the declaration as misguided and counterproductive. In a response released by the Foreign Ministry, Israel criticized the statement as failing to grasp the core realities of the conflict.
"Israel rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas," the ministry said, arguing the pressure should not be directed at Jerusalem. "All statements and all claims should be directed at the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire: Hamas, which started this war and is prolonging it."
According to Israel, while ceasefire negotiations have yielded a viable framework, only one side continues to reject it. "There is a concrete proposal for a ceasefire deal, and Israel has repeatedly said yes to this proposal, while Hamas stubbornly refuses to accept it."
The Foreign Ministry went on to accuse Hamas not only of prolonging hostilities but also of exploiting civilians in a campaign of misinformation. "Instead of agreeing to a ceasefire, Hamas is busy running a campaign to spread lies about Israel. At the same time, Hamas is deliberately acting to increase friction and harm to civilians who come to receive humanitarian aid."