G7 calls for more humanitarian aid in Gaza

2023-11-08 02:23:15

The G7 group of economically strong democracies considers it urgently necessary to expand humanitarian aid for the suffering Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip. There was “great agreement” on this in the group of G7 foreign ministers during their discussions on the Gaza war the evening before in Tokyo, it was said on Wednesday from German delegation circles. Humanitarian ceasefires were also an issue.

Specifically, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and her Japanese colleague Yoko Kamikawa spoke out in favor of ensuring supplies for the population in the area sealed off by Israel. According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Kamikawa stated that “the immediate release of the hostages and improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip are top priorities, and we must call on the countries concerned to establish humanitarian pauses and ensure humanitarian access.” Japan is ready to provide further humanitarian aid to Gaza worth around $65 million (€61 million). The G7 host had already decided on emergency aid worth ten million US dollars.

German delegation circles also said that the G7 also wanted to closely coordinate their efforts to release the hostages kidnapped to Gaza by Hamas. All participants emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense under international humanitarian law. There was consensus that a regional conflagration had to be prevented and that considerations for “the day following” had to be coordinated within the G7 round as well as with Israel and the countries in the region.

There is common concern regarding an increase in tensions in the West Bank, also due to increasing settler violence, it was said from German delegation circles. In the discussion, there was also clearly noticeable concern regarding the increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the G7 countries. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed his colleagues regarding the results of his recent Middle East trip.

Germany and Japan had previously emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the G7 format in view of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and the challenges in the Indo-Pacific. “These are not easy times for the G7. But I think it was very helpful to be together in this very close format,” said Baerbock on Wednesday at the beginning of a bilateral conversation with her Japanese colleague. In addition to Germany, the G7 also includes France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the USA and Great Britain. Baerbock arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday evening (local time) for the two-day G7 meeting. That evening, the group discussed the Gaza war, the humanitarian situation of civilians in the Gaza Strip, the impact on the Middle East region and possible steps towards a political two-state solution following the war.

Another focus of the G7 meeting in Tokyo is the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba takes part via video link in the working session of the G7 ministers, who are discussing further support for Kiev in the defensive war once morest Russia. The situation in the Indo-Pacific and the dialogue with the Central Asian countries are also on the agenda. Japan holds the G7 presidency this year, and Italy will take over next year.

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