UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, have called for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, “but only if it is sustainable.”
In a joint article published in Britain’s The Sunday Times and Welt am Sonntag in Germany, the two wrote that “too many civilians have been killed.”
“Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations. We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable,” they stated, reports The Guardian.
The human rights organization Euro-Med Monitor has urged to probe Israeli war crimes after reports of Palestinian civilians buried alive at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. https://t.co/Ww4lWA74K4 pic.twitter.com/ydcsIE1Zvk
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“We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable ceasefire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better — the need is urgent,” the ministers said.
“We know many in the region and beyond have been calling for an immediate ceasefire. We recognize what motivates these heartfelt calls.”
The article marked a notable shift in tone for the two countries, after having shared strong solidarity with Israel in the early days of the conflict.
“Israel will not win this war if their operations destroy the prospect of peaceful coexistence with Palestinians. They have a right to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas. But too many civilians have been killed,” the article added.
France Adds its Voice
Also on Sunday, France’s foreign minister, Catherine Colona, reportedly called for an “immediate and durable” truce, The Guardian reports.
The report adds that Colona was quoted by AFP as having said that she was “deeply concerned” about the situation and that “too many civilians are being killed.” She was due to meet with the families of French hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza.
AL-JAZEERA: 60 Palestinians were killed in Israeli raids on homes in the northern Gaza Strip since Sunday morning.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 17, 2023
The latest developments also came after an initial Israeli military investigation reportedly found that three Israeli soldiers killed by the occupation in Gaza, had emerged bare-chested and carrying a white flag when shot.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu read out a letter at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday that he said was written by relatives of dead soldiers, the Guardian also reports.
“You have a mandate to fight. You do not have a mandate to stop in the middle,” he quoted them as saying. To which he reportedly responded: “We will fight to the end.”
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 18,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 51,000 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7. Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
