UK, France, Germany urge Gaza ceasefire, ask Israel to restore humanitarian access

Published
0

The governments of Germany, France and Britain have called for an immediate return to a ceasefire in Gaza in a joint statement that also called on Israel to restore humanitarian access, Reuters reports.

“We call on Israel to restore humanitarian access, including water and electricity, and ensure access to medical care and temporary medical evacuations in accordance with international humanitarian law”, the foreign ministers of the three countries, known as the E3, said in a statement.

The ministers said they were “appalled by the civilian casualties”, and also called on Hamas to release Israeli hostages.

They said the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians could not be resolved through military means, and that a long-lasting ceasefire was the only credible pathway to peace.

The ministers added that they were “deeply shocked” by the incident that affected the United Nations Office for Project Services (Unops) building in Gaza, and called for an investigation into the incident.

 People mourn Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 20, 2025. — Reuters/Mahmoud Issa
People mourn Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 20, 2025. — Reuters/Mahmoud Issa

Opinion

Editorial

Fixing bond markets
Updated 01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, retail investors, and eventually, foreign investors must become bigger participants in the market.
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...
Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...