France, UK and Germany call for ceasefire in Gaza ‘without delay’

France, the United Kingdom and Germany called on Monday (12) for an “immediate” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and warned “Iran and its allies” against “new escalation” in the conflict.

The leaders of the three countries said in a joint statement that “the fighting must stop immediately and all hostages still held by Hamas must be released” after the United States, Egypt and Qatar called for renewed talks.

Ten months after an October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel that killed 1,198 people, the Israeli campaign of revenge has left at least 39,790 dead in the Gaza Strip.

Of the 251 abducted that day, 111 were captured in the Palestinian territories, including 39 who were reportedly killed, the Israeli military said.

“The people of Gaza must provide and distribute aid urgently and unconditionally,” they said in the statement.

There can be no further delay, and government officials said, “We are deeply concerned about the worsening tensions in the region.”

The Islamist movement Hamas on Sunday called on mediators to “implement” a plan proposed by US President Joe Biden to reach a peace deal in Gaza with Israel, “instead of further negotiations or new proposals.”

The conflict took a new dimension after the assassinations of Lebanese Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr near Beirut in late July and Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas in particular, in Tehran. The Iranian regime has said it has the right to “legally punish” Israel for this unclaimed act on its territory.

France, the United Kingdom and Germany called on Iran and its allies to “refrain from attacks that could further exacerbate regional tensions and compromise the possibility of a ceasefire and hostage release”.

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