The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries, meeting today, Wednesday, in Tokyo, seek to formulate a common position regarding the war launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip, while stressing that it will not affect their “strong” support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.
The foreign ministers are expected to issue a joint statement later today, calling for “humanitarian truces” in Gaza, without urging a ceasefire, which is currently still opposed by the United States, which supports Israel.
Shortly after his arrival in the Japanese capital from a Middle Eastern tour, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on the group to speak with a “clear voice” regarding the war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance.
For his part, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamiwaka stressed on Tuesday night the need for his counterparts in the group of industrialized nations to “call on the countries concerned to conduct humanitarian truces and ensure relief, which is a precondition for adequate and continuous humanitarian assistance.”
Following a working dinner that focused on the situation in Gaza, a diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse that “constructive discussions” took place among the ministers on this issue on Tuesday.
He added that there appears to be “great unity” among the ministers’ positions regarding the need to “urgently” increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, in addition to the need for discussion between the G7 countries and other countries in the region regarding the future of Gaza and ways to prevent the expansion of the conflict.
The Israeli aggression against Gaza broke out on October 7th.
Since then, Israel has carried out air and artillery bombardment on the Gaza Strip, and began launching ground operations inside it, which led to the death of more than 10,300 people, according to the latest tally of the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed, during an interview with an American channel on Monday night, that his country intends to assume “comprehensive security responsibility” in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war.
However, the United States, Israel’s closest ally and most prominent military supporter, expressed its opposition to the “reoccupation” of the Gaza Strip.
____________________