BERLIN, (PIC)
The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain called for a return to ceasefire negotiations in Gaza to end the war completely.
“The resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza represents a tragic step backwards for the people of Gaza,” the ministers said in a joint statement on Friday evening. “We are appalled by the civilian casualties and urgently call for an immediate return to a ceasefire,” they added.
The joint appeal came after Israeli Army Minister Yisrael Katz on Friday threatened to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas did not release the remaining Israeli captives.
“I instructed the IDF to seize more land in Gaza, evacuate residents, and expand the security zones around Gaza, in order to protect Israeli towns and IDF soldiers,” Katz said.
He added that “the more Hamas continues to refuse to release the abductees (Israeli captives), the more land it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel,” and that Israel will continue its aggression “with escalating force” until the prisoners are released.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called on “all parties to re-engage in negotiations to ensure that the ceasefire is fully implemented and made permanent.”
The ministers added that Hamas must release the dozens of Israeli captives remaining in the Palestinian enclave and that it “must no longer rule Gaza and no longer pose a threat to Israel,” according to the statement.
They also said the Israeli occupation authorities must fully respect international law and allow aid to flow into the Gaza Strip.
Earlier Friday, the French foreign minister Barrot said in a press conference on the sidelines of a trip to Dijon, “France opposes any form of annexation, whether it concerns the West Bank or Gaza.”
“We have a clear vision of what the future of the region should be. It is a solution based on two states living side by side in peace, with mutual recognition and security guarantees. This is the only way to establish lasting peace and stability in the region,” he added.
Despite the global condemnation of the resumption of the war, Washington reaffirmed its support for Israel. “Of course we support our ally Israel,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said at a press conference.
