UK, Canada and 26 other countries say the war in Gaza ‘must end now’
[July 22, 2025]
By SYLVIA HUI and JILL LAWLESS
LONDON (AP) — Twenty-eight countries including Britain, Japan and a host
of European nations issued a joint statement Monday saying the war in
Gaza “must end now” — the latest sign of allies' sharpening language as
Israel's isolation deepens.
The foreign ministers of countries also including Australia and Canada
said “the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths." They
condemned “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 described as “horrifying” the recent deaths of over 800
Palestinians who were seeking aid, according to the figures released by
Gaza's Health Ministry and the U.N. human rights office.
“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels
instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” the countries said.
“The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to
the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its
obligations under international humanitarian law."
Israel and U.S. reject the criticism
Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statement, saying it was
“disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas.” It
accused Hamas of prolonging the war by refusing to accept an
Israeli-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire and hostage release.
“Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and
the suffering on both sides,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren
Marmorstein posted on X.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also rejected the statement from
many of America’s closest allies, calling it “disgusting” in a post on X
and saying they should instead pressure the “savages of Hamas.”
Germany was also notably absent from the statement.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul wrote on X that he spoke with
Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on Monday and expressed the “greatest
concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza as
Israel’s offensive widens. He called on Israel to implement agreements
with the EU to enable more humanitarian aid.
A worsening humanitarian crisis
Gaza’s population of more than 2 million Palestinians is in a
catastrophic humanitarian crisis, now relying largely on the limited aid
allowed into the territory. Israel's offensive has displaced some 90% of
the population, with many forced to flee multiple times.
Most of the food supplies Israel has allowed into Gaza go to the Gaza
Humanitarian Foundation, an American group backed by Israel. Since its
operations began in May, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in
shootings by Israeli soldiers while heading to the sites, according to
witnesses and health officials. The Israeli military says it has only
fired warning shots at those who approach its forces.
Israel's 21 months of war with Hamas have pushed Gaza to the brink of
famine, sparked worldwide protests and led to an International Criminal
Court arrest warrant against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Smoke and flames erupt from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City,
Monday, July 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Israel has brushed off previous criticism
Allies' criticism about Israel’s actions has had little clear
effect. In May, Britain, France and Canada issued a joint statement
urging Netanyahu’s government to stop its military operations in
Gaza and threatening “concrete actions” if it didn’t.
Israel rejects criticism of its wartime conduct, saying its forces
have acted lawfully and blaming civilian deaths on Hamas because the
militants operate in populated areas. It says it has allowed enough
food in to sustain Gaza and accuses Hamas of siphoning off much of
it. The United Nations says there is no evidence for widespread
diversion of humanitarian aid.
The new joint statement called for an immediate ceasefire, saying
countries are prepared to take action to support a political pathway
to peace in the region.
Israel and Hamas have been engaged in ceasefire talks but there
appears to be no breakthrough, and it’s not clear whether any truce
would bring the war to a lasting halt. Netanyahu has vowed to
continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is
defeated or disarmed.
Speaking to Parliament, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy
thanked the U.S., Qatar and Egypt for their diplomatic efforts to
try to end the war.
“There is no military solution,” Lammy said. “The next ceasefire
must be the last ceasefire.”
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Tuesday the
hostages needed to be released and the war must end, but the images
of destruction and killing coming out of Gaza were “indefensible.”
“We’re all hoping that there’ll be something that will break this,"
Burke told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Hamas triggered the war when militants stormed into southern Israel
on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others
hostage. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are
thought to be alive.
Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 59,000
Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t
distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says
more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is
part of the Hamas government, but the U.N. and other international
organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on
casualties.
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Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Joseph Krauss in
Ottawa, Ontario, contributed to this story.
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