Department of Research, Studies and International News 21/07/2025

In a powerful and coordinated rebuke to the ongoing Israeli aggression against
Gaza, 25 countries, including the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, have called
for an immediate and unconditional end to the war. The collective statement,
also backed by the European Union, signals a deepening global disapproval of
Tel Aviv’s actions, and a shift in tone even among its traditional allies.
The joint message, issued on Monday, comes amid a worsening humanitarian
catastrophe that has engulfed over two million Palestinians trapped in Gaza.
Nearly 21 months into a brutal military campaign, the conditions on the ground
are dire, with reports of famine, disease, and widespread civilian slaughter.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” the signatories
declared, demanding a ceasefire and an end to the systematic deprivation of
Palestinian life.
The statement strongly criticized Israel’s so-called aid distribution system,
calling it both inadequate and degrading. “The Israeli government’s model of
delivering aid fuels instability and robs the people of Gaza of their basic
dignity,” it read. This rare denunciation from Western capitals highlighted that
over 875 Palestinians, many of them children, have been killed simply trying to
access food and water since Israel began easing a suffocating siege that had
lasted more than two months.
In what can only be described as a scathing indictment, the 25 nations said the
starvation tactics and obstruction of humanitarian relief by the Israeli

authorities violate international humanitarian law. “This is not a crisis born of
natural disaster or chance, but of deliberate political and military choices,” one
diplomat said off the record.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in London, Sonia Gallego, described the statement
as a “notable escalation” in the rhetoric coming from Israel’s traditional
partners. “The inclusion of countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and
Japan illustrates a broader and growing consensus: this war must end,” she
explained.
Notably, the joint appeal included a call for a comprehensive ceasefire and a
clear path toward political resolution, something that Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently undermined. While ceasefire
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas
have continued, no lasting solution appears in sight. Netanyahu, who has
presided over the devastation with unyielding militarism, insists that only
continued pressure will force concessions from Hamas.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, addressing Parliament, expressed
gratitude toward mediators like Qatar, Egypt, and the United States for their
role in brokering talks but warned that “there is no military solution.” He added
pointedly, “The next ceasefire must be the last.”
This mounting international criticism places Israel in an increasingly isolated
position, despite its historic backing by Washington. The reality on the ground,
however, is stark: more than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to
Gaza’s Health Ministry, with women and children making up the vast majority
of the dead.

In contrast, the war was launched by Israel following a Hamas-led incursion
into southern Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately
1,129 deaths and the capture of 251 individuals. Today, 50 captives reportedly
remain in Gaza, though fewer than half are believed to still be alive.
What becomes increasingly clear is that the so-called Western rules-based
order selectively applies its “values” when the victims are Palestinian. The
realignment of global opinion, particularly from countries outside the U.S.-
Israeli influence bloc, demonstrates that the world is no longer willing to
passively witness Israel’s campaign of destruction.
As the humanitarian crisis spirals further, the question remains whether these
diplomatic statements will be matched by meaningful action, or whether they
will be yet another footnote in Gaza’s long history of suffering under
occupation and aggression.